Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi says the government cannot raise salaries for lecturers and university staff because the national wage bill has reached a point that threatens the country’s fiscal path. He says public universities need better pay systems, but warns that the state does not have room to adjust salaries without exposing the economy to new pressure.
He told a parliamentary committee that the wage bill now stands at about Sh80 billion every month, up from Sh75 billion earlier in the year. He said this level of spending translates to about Sh960 billion each year and now takes more than 40 per cent of ordinary revenue, compared to 16 per cent in 2013. He warned that the country risks crowding out capital spending if this path continues.
“If we do not maintain the line we have taken, we will slide back, and the effect will be a disaster.” Mbadi Said
He also said the country came close to defaulting on loan repayments last year and noted that any failure would have forced the state to make deeper cuts.
He admitted that lecturers and other university workers are not paid well, but said any improvement must follow a formula that does not place more pressure on the budget.
UASU Secretary General Constantine Wesonga accused the government of failing to honour past collective bargaining agreements. He said accepting phased payments for the current Sh7.9 billion claim would trigger more strikes.
“The government is proposing to implement the Sh7.9 billion in three phases. That is three strikes. Lecturers will not go back to work if the Sh7.9 billion is not paid.” Wesonga said
The strike is now in its sixth week. Academic calendars have been disrupted. Some universities remain open, but learning is at a standstill. Students now face the risk of missing graduations, industrial attachments or completion of their studies.
Students in Kibra say the strike leaves them stuck at home and unsure about their future. They say they feel wasted because each week lost pushes their plans further back. They say the fee burden, transport costs and daily struggle make the standstill harder to bear.
“We are at home with no idea when we will return. We feel wasted because time is moving and nothing is happening,” Said Victor Ochieng, an education student at Kisii University
The students say they want a clear answer from both the government and unions. They say learning cannot resume until the salary dispute is settled, yet the standoff shows no sign of progress.
“Our parents think we are learning, but we are at home doing nothing. It breaks us because we worked hard to be here.” A University of Nairobi student said
The semester that began in September was set to end in December. With six weeks already gone and no agreement in sight, universities now face the possibility of a lost term and a longer recovery period once classes resume.
