The Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU) accused 16 public universities of failing to honour agreed payment schedules for arrears under the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The union claims the institutions have withheld nearly KSh7.9 billion, reigniting tensions between lecturers and university management.
In a letter dated January 23, 2026, UASU reported that its chapter officials had flagged non-compliance with the agreed 50 per cent arrears settlement. The union further alleged that several universities had not remitted statutory and third-party deductions and had failed to pay lecturers who exited service under the same CBA.
“Our chapter officials are alleging that the 16 universities did not implement the 50 per cent 20170-2021 CBA arrears as per the agreed schedules. More worrying is that most of these universities have not remitted third-party deductions and have not paid members who exited service arising from the said CBA,” said UASU Secretary General Constantine Wasonga.
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UASU warned that the failure to implement the agreement undermines industrial harmony in the public university sector and risks eroding trust between academic staff and management.
The institutions named include Multimedia University of Kenya, Technical University of Kenya, Moi University, University of Nairobi, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Turkana University College, Murang’a University of Technology, Maasai Mara University, Kirinyaga University, University of Eldoret, Kisii University, Kenyatta University, South Eastern Kenya University, Technical University of Mombasa, and the University of Embu.
However, the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) dismissed the accusations, arguing that UASU’s claims lacked specific details. Prof Fred Simiyu Barasa, chairperson of the IPUCCF Joint Negotiations Committee and Vice Chancellor of Taita Taveta University, confirmed receipt of the union’s letter but said it contained broad assertions without supporting documentation.
“It is observed that the communication contains general assertions and does not provide specific particulars. Further, the letter was not accompanied by the agreed matrix as resolved at the Joint Negotiations Committee (JNC) meeting of IPUCCF and the three unions held on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at Machakos University, which further resolved that the matter will be subjected to an audit exercise,” Barasa stated.
The January 21 meeting brought together IPUCCF and the three unions, UASU, the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (Kudheiha).
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The parties agreed that an implementation matrix would guide the audit, outlining for each institution the approved payment schedules, actual implementation status, and reasons for any failure to remit the arrears.
Barasa further asked UASU to clarify why institutions that had already provided explanations during the Joint Negotiations Committee meeting were included in the union’s letter. Barasa requested that the union submit the required documentation by January 26, 2026, to allow universities time to respond before the audit exercise begins.
By Masaki Enock
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