Lecturers in public universities are seeking higher salaries, improved allowances, more research funding and a higher retirement age under their proposed 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The demand proposal submitted by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) to the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) proposes a new salary structure covering six academic grades, from graduate assistants to professors.
The proposal seeks an average six percent annual salary increment during the four-year agreement running from July 2025 to June 2029.
Under the proposed structure, the highest salary notch for professors would rise from the current Sh345, 816 to more than Sh580,144 a month by 2028/29, while senior lecturers could earn Sh399,644 from the current Sh238,221.
UASU is also seeking higher housing allowances, with professors proposed to receive Sh116,028 a month from the current ShSh73,715, associate professors Sh104,426 from the current Sh66,344, senior lecturers Sh92,822 (from Sh58,972) and lecturers Sh87,020 (from Sh55,286).
The union wants commuter allowances standardised at Sh60,000 a month for all academic grades except part timers which it proposes at Sh20,000.
From left: Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) National Chairperson Dr Grace Nyongesa, Secretary-General Dr Constantine Wasonga and National Trustee Jane Michael raise their fists in solidarity during a press briefing at the union headquarters in Nairobi on September 24, 2026.
Photo credit: Boniface Bogita | Nation
Currently, commuter allowance rates vary by designation, with professors receiving Sh50,000 a month, associate professors Sh40,000, senior lecturers Sh32,000, lecturers Sh24,000, and assistant lecturers and graduate assistants Sh20,000.
Similarly, UASU is seeking a standardized monthly risk allowance of Sh30,000 for lecturers exposed to occupational hazards and higher allowances for staff undertaking extra duties.
Currently risk allowance rates vary by designation and range between Sh5,000 and Sh15,000 for staff working in laboratories and workshops.
Under the proposed CBA, UASU wants the government to allocate two percent of GDP annually to research and innovation, with part of the funding channeled directly to academic staff.
The proposal seeks annual research grants of up to Sh5 million for professors and associate professors, and Sh4 million for senior lecturers and lecturers.
The union also wants academic staff who attract external research grants to receive a 20 per cent honorarium of the value of the grants.
On retirement, the union wants the mandatory retirement age for academic staff raised, with lecturers, senior lecturers, associate professors and professors retiring at 74 years.
Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) Secretary-General Dr Constantine Wasonga speaks during a press briefing at the union headquarters in Nairobi on September 24, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation
It also proposes that graduate assistants, tutorial fellows and assistant lecturers retire at 70.
Academics who reach retirement age should also be eligible for post-retirement contracts, according to the proposal.
On promotions, UASU wants universities to conduct reviews twice a year*, rather than leaving academics waiting for lengthy periods.
It is also seeking automatic promotion for graduate assistants who obtain master's degrees and tutorial fellows or assistant lecturers who obtain PhDs.
The union wants higher rates for part-time teaching, proposing Sh3,000 an hour for postgraduate certificate teaching from the current Sh2,500.
For part-time lecturers teaching postgraduate and master’s courses, UASU is proposing an hourly rate of Sh4,000, up from the current Sh3,000, while those teaching PhD courses would earn Sh5,000 an hour, up from Sh4,000.
The demand comes as public universities increasingly rely on adjunct and part-time lecturers to meet teaching needs.
The proposal also contains demands beyond pay, with UASU requiring lecturers protected in exercising academic freedom, including the right to teach, conduct research, publish findings and express opinions about their institutions.
It also wants academics to have access to university documents, including statutes, promotion criteria, financial documents and relevant correspondence.
The union wants universities to ensure employees are not subjected to abuse, intimidation, bullying or discrimination.
The demands form the basis of the CBA negotiations that have stalled, with UASU now accusing the government of failing to commit to financing the agreement through the National Exchequer.
