- UASU has ordered universities to stop hiring lecturers on part-time terms, insisting on permanent and pensionable recruitment.
- The union has opposed the Public Service Commission’s retirement age changes, saying they have worsened staffing shortages nationwide.
- Wasonga has condemned inconsistent pay structures for part-time lecturers and has demanded standardised, negotiated remuneration through UASU.
The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) has directed universities across the country to stop hiring lecturers on part‑time terms, warning that the practice denies academics opportunities for permanent and pensionable employment.
Speaking at the union headquarters in Uniafric House, Nairobi, UASU Secretary‑General Constantine Wasonga said institutions must prioritise the recruitment of full‑time lecturers instead of relying on part‑time teaching to fill staffing gaps. He stressed that any engagement of union members on part‑time contracts must be negotiated with UASU.
“Stop taking part‑time lecturers because by the time you’re taking those lessons, you’re denying your sister, your brother, your relatives the opportunity to be employed,” Wasonga declared, issuing what he described as a command to universities.
The directive comes as the union intensifies its opposition to the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) recent decision to lower the retirement age for academic staff. Under the new framework, professors and research professors who previously retired at 74 will now retire at 70, while those with disabilities will retire at 75. UASU argues the move will worsen staffing shortages already affecting universities.
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Recently, UASU Uon chapter warned that the new retirement plan could slash the number by a further 40 per cent, deepening the deficit. Wasonga said similar shortages are being felt nationwide, forcing universities to depend heavily on part‑time lecturers.
He criticised the government for failing to allocate funds for lecturer recruitment, noting that about 9,000 academics are currently serving nearly one million students. “Have you ever heard that the government has allocated money for recruitment of lecturers in this country?” he asked.
Wasonga further condemned the lack of a standardised payment structure for part‑time lecturers, saying institutions exploit academics by paying varying rates for similar teaching responsibilities. “Others teach with Sh500, others with Sh800, others with Sh2,500. There must be uniformity, and it has to be negotiated by UASU,” he said.
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Wesonga added that some lecturers are forced to teach before receiving appointment letters, making it difficult to claim payment for part‑time lessons. He insisted universities must abandon the practice and recruit lecturers on permanent terms. “What we are telling universities now is that there will be no part‑time. Can you now recruit?” he said.
By Masaki Enock
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