Lecturers in public universities have tabled a fresh proposal to have a graduate/research assistant (the lowest paid) earn a basic salary of Sh86,594 and a professor (the highest paid) to get Sh580,144 at full implementation.
The 2025–29 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) also proposes increases in house, car and commuter allowances and other allowances for academic staff.
The demand has been prepared by the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and sets the basis for talks with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum. It comes a few months after last year’s nationwide strike paralysed learning.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba (centre) and Uasu officials in Nairobi on November 23, 2024.
Photo credit: Mercy Simiyu | Nation Media Group
The proposal lays the foundation for a new battleground between lecturers and the government, considering that the 2021–25 CBA has not been fully implemented even after several strikes to force the government’s hand.
The pay proposal—set to take effect on July 1 if signed—has been spread until June 30, 2029. Currently, graduate/research assistants fall under job Grade 10A band D5 and earn basic pay of Sh63,647. This is set to rise to Sh68,739 from July and Sh74,239 from July 2026, Sh80,179 in July 2027, and Sh86,594 in the subsequent year.
An assistant lecturer/tutorial fellow/junior research fellow in Grade 11A, Band E1, currently earning Sh107,872, will get Sh116,502 from July, Sh125,832 from July next year, Sh135,889 from July 2027 and Sh146,761 in July 2028.
A lecturer/research fellow in Grade 12A band E2 earning Sh121,928 will go home with Sh131,683 from July, Sh142,218 from July next year, Sh153,596 in July 2027 and Sh165,884 in 2028.
Universities Academic Staff Union Secretary General Constantine Wesonga (center) with lecturers of Technical University of Kenya on September 18, 2024 during the first day of the university lecturer’s nationwide strike.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
Senior lecturers/research fellows in Grade 13A Band E3, earning Sh154,739, will from July earn Sh167,119, Sh180,489 from July next year, Sh194, 929 July 2027, and Sh210,524 the following year.
Uasu has demanded that an associate professor in Grade 14A Band E4, currently earning Sh193,182, be paid a basic salary of Sh208,637 from July, Sh243,355 from July 2027 and Sh262,824 in 2028. A full professor, earning basic pay of Sh224,631, will take home Sh242,602 from July, Sh262,011 from July next year, Sh282,972 from July 2027 and Sh305,610 in July 2028.
“Annual increments shall be awarded across the grades from July 1, 2025, up to June 30, 2029, at an average rate of six per cent of basic salary, subject to respective salary grade ceiling,” says Uasu Secretary General Constantine Wasonga in the proposal.
The union wants the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to include the proposal in its 2025–26 budget.
Officials of Universities Academic Staff Union and Kenya Universities Staff Union during a media briefing on October 15, 2024.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
For house allowance, Uasu proposes that professors and research professors earn Sh116,028 from the current Sh73,715, associate professors/associate research professors Sh104,426 from Sh66,344, senior lecturers/senior research fellows Sh92,822 from Sh58,972, lecturers/research fellows Sh87,020 from Sh55,286.
The union proposes a house allowance of Sh81,220 for lecturers/tutorial fellows/junior research fellows, from Sh51,601. Further, it wants graduate assistants/teaching assistants/research assistants to earn Sh55,692, from Sh35,383.
Car and commuter allowance to be paid monthly to members, with professors and research professors earning Sh60,000 from Sh50,000, associate professor/associate research professors Sh60,000 from Sh40,000, and senior lecturer/senior research fellow Sh60,000 from Sh32,000.
“Lecturer/research fellow Sh60,000 up from Sh24,000, assistant lecturer/tutorial fellow/junior research fellow Sh60,000 up from Sh20,000, graduate assistant/teaching assistant Sh60,000 up from Sh20,000 and part-timers getting Sh20,000 from Sh15,000,” the document reads.
Others include professorial allowance to be paid monthly and book and ICT allowance to be paid annually to members.
“Annual leave allowance shall be paid annually to teaching members. Non-practice allowance shall be paid monthly to teaching members of staff who are registered professionals in any field,” the document adds.
Uasu proposes a monthly risk allowance to those exposed to risks and hazards that could hurt them over time. It says the allowances should be paid as guided by the government or regulatory circulars. “The beneficiaries shall include staff working in laboratories and workshops in the fields: medicine and veterinary, nursing and public health, agriculture, wildlife, environmental, forestry and natural resources, engineering and technology, botany and zoology, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, microbiology, computer and ICT, hospitality, nutrition and dietetics,”
Bomet University lecturers who are members of the University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) demonstrate on October 29, 2024.
Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group
It proposes extraneous allowance for extra responsibilities, daily subsistence allowance, and death benefits. Also proposed is the retirement age of graduate assistants Grade 11A, tutorial fellows/assistant lecturers and junior research fellows to be 70.
Lecturers will also earn an extraneous allowance, which shall be paid monthly to teaching members of staff who work long hours, have extra responsibilities or are exposed to physical or mental stress. The beneficiaries shall include teaching staff working in the following areas – medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy as well as teaching staff in administrative positions.
The Uasu members shall also get a daily subsistence allowance when they attend to official assignments away from their local duty stations within the county.
In case of death of member of staff, the family of a member of the academic staff serving on permanent and pensionable or contract terms who dies while in service shall be paid death benefits in accordance with the Pension Scheme Rules and provisions.
Technical University of Kenya lecturers under the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) sing and dance as they kicked off their strike kick on September 18, 2024.
Photo credit: Francis Nderitu | Nation Media Group
The family shall also be paid 96 months of the gross salary the member was earning, as per group life insurance policy. In addition, the employer shall meet the following expenses, three months gross salary in the case of a member with more than two years and service.
“Two months gross salary in the case of a member with more than one year but less than two years and service. One month and gross salary in the case of a member with less than one year service. Eighty thousand shillings towards purchase of a coffin,” says Uasu.
It further wants the retirement age for graduate assistants Grade 11A tutorial fellow/assistant lecturer, junior research fellow, to be 70 years whereas Grade 12A lecturer/research fellow, Grade 13A senior lecturer/senior research fellow, Grade 14A associate professor/associate research professor, Grade 15A professor/research professor, shall be 74 years.
