A new dispute is unfolding in public universities after the Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU) raised concerns that several institutions have not fully paid arrears tied to the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement, deepening friction between lecturers and university leadership.
In a January 23, 2026, letter, the union said 16 universities had failed to release 50 per cent of the Sh7.9 billion arrears and had not sent statutory and third-party deductions or paid lecturers who had already left service.
“It is being alleged by our chapter officials that the 16 universities did not implement the 50 per cent 2017–2021 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 Dr Constantine Wasonga.
UASU said failure to honour the payment plan could disrupt industrial relations in public universities and weaken confidence between staff and management.
The universities mentioned are Multimedia University, 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.
University leaders, however, dismissed the claims, arguing that the union had not provided clear proof.
Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum Joint Negotiations Committee chairperson and Taita Taveta University Vice-Chancellor Prof Fred Simiyu Barasa said the letter lacked details and did not include documents agreed upon earlier.
“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,” said Prof Barasa.
He noted that the meeting involving IPUCCF and the three unions—UASU, Kenya Universities Staff Union and Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers—had agreed on an implementation matrix to guide the audit process.
According to Prof Barasa, the matrix was meant to show each institution’s payment timetable, what had been paid and reasons for any delays.
“As agreed at the said meeting, the matrix was to set out for each affected institution the approved payment schedules, the actual implementation status and the specific reasons for non-implementation of the 50 per cent arrears for the 2017–2021 CBA. The meeting further resolved that the matrix would form the basis of an audit exercise,” he said.
He further questioned why some universities that had already explained their position at the meeting were included in the complaint, and asked the union to submit the required papers by noon on Monday, January 26, 2026, to allow institutions to prepare their responses before the audit starts.
