The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has announced that funds for outstanding arrears arising from the 2017–2021 and 2021–2025 Collective Bargaining Agreements have been disbursed.

In a statement on August 11, UASU National Secretary General Constantine Wasonga said the funds had been sent to respective public universities by the National Treasury and Ministry of Education.

Wasonga said the Joint Local Implementation Committees (JLICs) would oversee payment of the arrears to staff in accordance with the CBAs and guidance from the National Implementation Committee.

“This is to inform you that arrears arising from the 2017-2021 CBA and 2021-2025 CBA have been disbursed by the National Treasury and the Ministry of Education to respective public universities.

In accordance with the provisions of the CBAs, the Joint Local Implementation Committees (JLICs) shall oversee the payment of arrears to staff, in line with the guidance of the National Implementation Committee (NIC),” read part of the statement.

UASU Gives Update of Remaining Arrears After Treasury Releases Funds

The development follows an audit and verification of the 2017–2021 CBA, which established that university staff were owed KSh7.94 billion in outstanding arrears.

The verification covered 38 public universities and constituent colleges and placed the total cost of implementing the CBA at KSh16.57 billion.

Government funding under the CBA amounted to KSh8.81 billion, comprising a first tranche of KSh6.61 billion and a second tranche of KSh2.21 billion.

According to the audit, universities were owed KSh7.76 billion by the government, with KSh7.15 billion of the staff arrears directly linked to pending government funding.

Universities had further incurred KSh616.2 million in additional expenditure after using their own funds to meet CBA obligations beyond government allocations.

UASU said the latest disbursement would enable public universities to begin processing the outstanding payments through the established implementation committees.

The outstanding arrears were highest among the top three universities. The University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University and JKUAT collectively account for 38.79 percent, equivalent to approximately KSh3.08 billion, of the total staff arrears.

Breakdown of Paid Arrears For Each University

Rank University Total Paid to Staff (KSh) % of Grand Total
1 University of Nairobi 1,611,027,937 18.67%
2 Kenyatta University 855,657,705 9.91%
3 Moi University 817,860,065 9.48%
4 JKUAT 548,044,731 6.35%
5 Technical University of Kenya 427,453,813 4.95%
6 Egerton University 358,771,832 4.16%
7 MMUST 349,353,504 4.05%
8 Maseno University 256,363,067 2.97%
9 University of Eldoret 252,914,541 2.93%
10 Kisii University 233,899,419 2.71%
11 Technical University of Mombasa 233,126,301 2.70%
12 Chuka University 224,185,089 2.60%
13 JOOUST 213,698,550 2.48%
14 Machakos University 201,789,604 2.34%
15 Laikipia University 164,520,628 1.91%
16 Rongo University 155,209,896 1.80%
17 Kibabii University 148,083,639 1.72%
18 SEKU 147,002,197 1.70%
19 Karatina University 136,666,346 1.58%
20 Pwani University 130,847,181 1.52%
21 Maasai Mara University 125,931,215 1.46%
22 Multimedia University 123,606,798 1.43%
23 Dedan Kimathi University 116,244,871 1.35%
24 University of Kabianga 100,547,100 1.17%
25 University of Embu 99,906,215 1.16%
26 Murang’a University 91,532,239 1.06%
27 Co-operative University 87,010,508 1.01%
28 Meru University 76,486,932 0.89%
29 Kaimosi Friends University 64,760,107 0.75%
30 Garissa University 51,604,486 0.60%
31 Taita Taveta University 42,034,247 0.49%
32 Kirinyaga University 41,501,034 0.48%
33 Tharaka University 38,954,612 0.45%
34 Turkana University College 27,255,930 0.32%
35 Bomet University College 24,886,942 0.29%
36 Alupe University 21,410,055 0.25%
37 Tom Mboya University 21,023,740 0.24%
38 Koitalel Samoei University 8,937,442 0.10%
Grand Total 38 institutions 8,630,110,518 100.00%

Remaining Arrears Breakdown

The University of Nairobi had the highest outstanding staff arrears at KSh1.41 billion, accounting for 17.71 per cent of the total verified balance.

It was followed by Kenyatta University with KSh846.98 million, while Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) had KSh827.67 million outstanding. Moi University owed staff KSh716.18 million, while Egerton University had KSh638.20 million in outstanding arrears.

Other universities with significant balances included Maseno University at KSh387.44 million, University of Eldoret at KSh383.53 million, and Technical University of Kenya at KSh377.65 million. Kisii University had KSh299.23 million, while Maasai Mara University owed staff KSh190.11 million.

The remaining institutions had arrears of less than KSh190 million, with Bomet University College owing KSh4.93 million and Koitalel Samoei University College owing KSh4.14 million.

Earlier, the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and UASU jointly declared a definitive teaching boycott set to begin in September 2026, protesting delays in the negotiation and implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

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Universities Academic Staff Union National Chairperson Grace Nyongesa, Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga, and Organizing Secretary Onesmus Mutio at the UASU head office in Nairobi on September 10, 2025.Photo/NMG
Universities Academic Staff Union National Chairperson Grace Nyongesa, Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga, and Organizing Secretary Onesmus Mutio at the UASU head office in Nairobi on September 10, 2025.Photo/NMG