Union blames government for varsity crises, delays, and debt

Chronic underfunding, mounting debts, and government inaction have forced universities to continue facing crises.

Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya painted a grim picture of the state of higher education, warning of an imminent nationwide shutdown by academic staff if concerns are not addressed.

Speaking on Spice FM on Tuesday, July 29, Mukhwaya placed the blame for the crisis on the government, accusing it of reneging on its constitutional duty to provide quality education.

 “Things in our universities are hot. Each and every passing day, they are really getting financially strapped. The problems that these universities are facing, financial or otherwise, squarely lie with the government of Kenya. Education is a constitutional right,” he said.

He criticised the transition from the older university funding model to the new one introduced in 2023, which he claims has shifted the financial burden onto already struggling parents.

“They lied to Kenyans that the former funding model was not workable. The new model has passed the burden of providing education to parents. If the duty to give education to Kenyans belongs to the government, who will shoulder it now?”

Mukhwaya dismissed Treasury CS John Mbadi’s claims of a lack of resources as “artificial,” questioning why the government continues to allocate funds to projects such as affordable housing and State House churches while universities crumble. “There is a lot of money. Kenyans are contributing a lot of taxes. If the government were to utilize that money properly and ensure priorities are well set, then we wouldn’t be talking about lack of resources,” he said.

“The previous governments managed to fund education with less taxation. We are now under the highest taxation regime, yet we’re told there’s no money,” the KUSU Sec-Gen said.

University staffing

He also condemned government proposals to downsize university staff even as student populations grow. “Our schools are churning out more and more students. The clamor for university education is ever-increasing. Yet we’re talking of retrenchment? He ought to know the real situation. The workload is already unbearable,” he said.

The result, Mukhwaya said, is universities relying on part-time lecturers, ‘moonlighters,’ which contributes to problems like missing student results.

“Why do you do that? Get these teachers, contract them, pay them well,” he urged.

He noted that although the current 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is being implemented in tranches with the second payment expected in July, the next CBA (2025–2029) has not been negotiated or signed.

“We did our part. We filed our proposals. The university councils received them, but never called us to the table. We are already late.”

According to him, delays in initiating negotiations and failure to honor CBA obligations have led to staff agitation and the threat of industrial action. “We will grind this thing to a halt nationwide. We will not go to classes,” he warned.

Mukhwaya said there are still billions of shillings in unpaid statutory deductions that universities owe to government agencies. They include deductions for pensions, loans, and other obligations made from staff salaries but never remitted.

“You go for a KRA clearance certificate and are told you’re non-compliant, yet the deduction was made at source. I would be lying if I told you where it goes. But your guess is as good as mine,” he added.

He said some universities declare redundancies while still owing staff months in salary and unpaid loans, forcing UASU to intervene through the courts.

Mukhwaya pointed accusing fingers at university councils and the Ministry of Education, saying they should be held accountable for the crisis facing universities. “They must sit down with the Treasury and address these issues. But instead, they are silent. We are going to go for them.”