Inside New Demands for Pay Rise by Varsity Dons Including Sh397K Least Pay

University lecturers in Kenya are pushing for significant salary increments in a new proposal that could see the lowest-paid academic staff earn up to Sh397,000 per month. Professors, the highest-ranking academic staff, could take home over Sh1 million if the proposal is adopted in the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The University and Academic Staff Union (Uasu), which is leading the negotiations, argues that the proposed adjustments are necessary to attract and retain top academic talent in Kenyan universities, which have been grappling with brain drain and non-competitive salaries.

Major Salary Adjustments

Currently, Graduate Assistants and Research Assistants, who fall under Grade 10A, earn between Sh63,647 and Sh97,988 per month. Under the new proposal, the lowest-paid staff in this category would earn Sh86,594 by July 2028, marking an increase of Sh22,947. Their highest-paid counterparts would see their salaries rise to Sh164,387, a jump of Sh66,399.

Professors, who currently earn between Sh224,631 and Sh345,816 in basic salary, could see their salaries rise to between Sh305,610 and Sh580,144. This would translate to an increment of up to Sh234,328 for the highest-paid professor.

New Allowances to Boost Earnings

Besides salary increments, Uasu is proposing up to 23 different allowances to further boost the earnings of academic staff. Some of the key proposed allowances include:

•Housing allowance: Graduate Assistants and Research Assistants would see their housing allowance increase from Sh35,383 to Sh55,692. Professors would receive Sh116,028.

•Commuter allowance: Increased from Sh20,000 to Sh60,000 for all academic staff.

•Communication facilitation allowance: Doubled from Sh500 to Sh1,000 per day.

•Book and ICT allowance: Graduate Assistants would get Sh65,000, while professors would receive Sh90,000.

•Risk allowance: Set at Sh30,000 across the board.

•Extraneous allowance: Sh30,000 for junior staff and Sh50,000 for professors.

•Annual leave allowance: Increased to Sh50,000 for Graduate Assistants and Sh70,000 for professors.

If all allowances are approved, a Graduate Assistant could take home a total monthly pay of Sh397,286, while a professor would earn Sh1,096,172.

Push for Special Responsibility and Entertainment Allowances

Uasu is also pushing for a special responsibility allowance for lecturers in acting positions, which would be 20 per cent of their basic salary. Additionally, the union wants the entertainment allowance increased by between Sh3,000 and Sh10,000.

Justification and Challenges

The union maintains that these salary adjustments are long overdue, citing the rising cost of living and stagnating wages. Uasu believes that better pay will enhance job satisfaction, improve research and teaching quality, and help universities retain top scholars.

However, critics argue that implementing the proposal could be a major financial burden on universities, many of which are already struggling with operational costs. The government now faces a tough balancing act—meeting the demands of academic staff while ensuring financial sustainability in higher education institutions.

The negotiations are expected to be intense as both parties seek a middle ground. Whether the government will fully approve the demands or propose a compromise remains to be seen.