The Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Migos Ogamba has issued a stern warning to public universities across the country, urging them to halt what he termed as unsustainable over hiring practices.
He said bloated payrolls were draining institutional budgets, leaving little room for investment in core academic infrastructure and student welfare.
Speaking during the national retreat for chairperson of councils of public universities in Mombasa, Ogamba emphasized that staffing decisions must align with realistic financial projections and student enrolment numbers.
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“Don’t be blackmailed, you should not be threatened by someone telling you that you will be removed if you do not do their bidding. Don’t be threatened because someone tells you don’t come from this area, you won’t be the chair of a university and they will bring people to demonstrate at the gate,” said Ogamba.
Several public universities have recently come under scrutiny for exceeding government-approved staffing levels, a trend critics say has contributed to spiraling wage bills.
Financial audits in some institutions revealed significant salary spending on non-academic staff and duplicate positions, drawing attention to the need for urgent reform.
The CS’s remarks come amid broader concerns over funding shortfalls in the higher education sector and debts amounting to over Ksh.72 billion.
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The 2025/26 budget allocation for public universities remained largely unchanged despite growing demands, prompting fears that academic quality and research output could deteriorate without better resource management.
As the directive gains traction, university leadership is expected to reevaluate staffing policies, particularly in human resource departments.
Ogamba urged the chairpersons to use the three day retreat in Mombasa to discuss, consult and offer solutions to the challenges facing their institutions.
By Masaki Enock
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