The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has raised alarm over growing inequalities and structural failures in Kenya’s public universities. In a memorandum signed by its Secretary-General, Dr. Constantine Wasonga, the union says academic staff are being short-changed in pay, promotions and staffing, despite the vital role they play in teaching, research and national development.
UASU argues that these failures violate the SRC’s constitutional mandate to ensure transparency, fairness and equal remuneration for work of equal value. The memorandum highlights how systemic gaps have left university staff demoralized and overworked.
According to UASU, public sector workers in the civil service and county governments earn wage premiums ranging from 13.3 percent to 293.7 percent. Public universities show far smaller differentials and only at the highest salary bands. The union says this imbalance does not reflect the complexity of academic work.
Annual increments deepen the gap. Civil service and county staff get up to 12.2 percent automatic increments while teachers get up to 11 percent. University academic staff receive only 4 percent which UASU says falls below inflation and steadily erodes real income.
The union also highlights long standing allowance disparities. SRC had promised an Allowances Policy Guideline (APG) but harmonisation has not happened. UASU notes that universities still operate under unequal and inconsistent allowance structures which fuel frustration and unrest.
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Fiscal instability adds to the crisis. The memorandum points to repeated salary delays caused by low and late capitation from the National Treasury. Many staff are forced into secondary jobs which reduces motivation, research quality and mentorship.
Promotion failures are another major concern. UASU reports that the National Treasury and university councils rarely budget for promotions. Staff meet promotion requirements but wait for long periods without proper pay. Some perform higher duties without the corresponding remuneration.
UASU also warns about skewed staffing structures. The Public Service Commission (PSC) recommends a 70:30 ratio favouring academic and technical staff but universities are heavily administrative. This overloads lecturers with teaching duties and weakens academic standards.
The Union projects that Kenya may face a shortage of more than 25,000 faculty members by 2030 if recruitment is not prioritised. UASU says this will damage research, mentorship and the reputation of public universities.
To resolve these issues, UASU recommends harmonisation of salaries and allowances across the public sector. It also calls for actuarially projected promotion funds to be included in every annual budget. The union further urges the National Treasury to align budgeting with PSC staffing ratios.
UASU concludes that urgent reforms are necessary. Without action, the sector faces declining morale, falling academic quality and a shrinking workforce. The union states that fairness and stability in remuneration are essential for protecting the future of higher education.
By Benedict Aoya
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