The standoff between public university lecturers and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has deepened after the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) rejected a proposed Ksh3.1 billion allocation for the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), citing constitutional violations and economic unfairness.
In a letter dated October 21, UASU Secretary-General Dr. Constantine Wasonga accused SRC and the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) of presenting a rigid counteroffer that undermines the spirit of genuine negotiation.
“We hereby register complete rejection of the IPUCCF’s counter-offer and formally appeal the guiding SRC beacons for the 2025-29 CBA,” Wasonga wrote to SRC Acting Secretary and CEO Margaret Njoka.
The union argued that the proposed figures fail to reflect the rising cost of living and inflation, and do not match the true value of academic labour.
“We cannot accept figures that fail to reflect the true value of academic labour,” Wasonga said, adding that the offer disregards Article 41(2)(a) of the Constitution, which guarantees fair remuneration for public servants.
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UASU further criticised SRC’s approach, saying the commission imposed final positions rather than offering negotiable ranges, in violation of Article 41(5) which protects the right to collective bargaining. “This is not negotiation , but a dictation,” Wasonga said.
UASU also pointed to disparities in public sector pay, noting that teachers received salary increases of between 12 and 29.5 per cent for the same period, while university lecturers were offered a fraction of that.
UASU termed the move discriminatory and demoralising to professionals who play a central role in higher education.
With the nationwide lecturers’ strike now in its sixth week, UASU has vowed not to return to the negotiating table unless SRC and IPUCCF present a revised offer that meets both constitutional standards and economic realities.
The dispute continues to paralyze learning in public universities, with no resolution in sight.
By Masaki Enock
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