The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has demanded the immediate release of Sh7.9 billion in salary arrears owed to public university staff, following a new report confirming the amount as legitimate under the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Speaking at Machakos University on Friday, UASU Secretary General Dr. Constantine Wasonga said the report, adopted by the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), validates the union’s long-standing position on the matter.
“The report signed by Vice Chancellors Committee Chairperson Professor Daniel Mugendi, IPUCCF Joint Negotiation Committee Vice Chairperson Professor Fred Barasa, finance officers from the Ministry of Education, and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission confirms that the technical team has fully agreed with the unions’ position that the outstanding balance owed to university staff is Sh7.9 billion,” said Dr. Wasonga.
He added that the report affirms the Employment and Labour Relations Court ruling delivered on January 15, 2021, which established that the total financial obligation under the 2017–2021 CBA amounts to Sh16.57 billion, including basic salary arrears, pensions, and other liabilities. The position was further supported by the Court of Appeal decision of March 2025 and the Attorney General’s opinion issued on April 10, 2025, which both confirmed the CBA’s enforceability.
UASU has maintained that its members will not agree to any return-to-work formula unless the full amount is paid.
“The government must honour its obligation to the academic staff. Our patience has been tested, and we will not settle for partial compliance,” Wasonga warned.
The report is now before the technical committee charged with implementing the CBA, comprising representatives from both the university sector and the government.
With this renewed pressure, UASU hopes the Treasury will move swiftly to disburse the Sh7.9 billion, marking a long-awaited victory for university lecturers across the country.
