Elimu Bora Working Group Calls for Immediate Settlement of UASU Salary Arrears
Elimu Bora Working Group Executive Director Boaz Waruku addressing the media in Nairobi on October 8, 2025, where he expressed solidarity with the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and called on the Government to settle lecturers’ salary arrears and honour pending CBAs.
The Elimu Bora Working Group (EBWG) has expressed full solidarity with the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), urging the Government to immediately settle billions owed to university lecturers under existing Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
In a statement issued in Nairobi on Wednesday, EBWG noted that UASU’s ongoing industrial action followed failed efforts by the union to resolve the matter amicably with the Government and relevant agencies.
“The demand by UASU for government to release in excess of Sh7.9 billion of salary arrears and other emoluments is in conformity with the signed and registered CBAs of the past,” the statement read in part.
“UASU has a right to demand full implementation of those agreements since the government is under obligation to protect and uphold the lecturers’ right to fair labour practices, fair remuneration, and reasonable working conditions.”
According to EBWG, the Government still owes lecturers Sh7.9 billion from the 2017–2021 CBA cycle and Sh2.7 billion from the 2022–2025 CBA, both of which remain partially implemented despite repeated assurances.
The group further decried the delay in concluding negotiations for the 2025–2029 CBA, terming it a sign of poor faith in labour relations.
EBWG Executive Director Boaz Waruku said the crisis in higher education funding continues to erode access, equity and quality in universities.
“Demand for higher education
has continued to swell against a backdrop of declining government allocations,” he said.
“Many institutions lack adequate facilities such as lecture rooms, laboratories, libraries and hostels, leading to a deteriorating learning environment and increasing dropout rates.”
Waruku commended UASU for its consistent advocacy aimed at improving tertiary education through better training and remuneration of staff and upgrading teaching infrastructure.
“Over the years, UASU has been objectively involved in the just struggle to improve access, quality and performance in universities. Their call for social dialogue and meaningful participation of lecturers and students in policymaking is both valid and urgent,” he added.
The group called on the Government to engage the union in good faith, honour all signed agreements, and prioritize the welfare of educators as a cornerstone of national development.
“We stand in solidarity with UASU 100 percent,” EBWG stated.
“The Government must at all times negotiate with public servants teachers and lecturers in good faith and keep its part of the bargain whenever it engages.”
EBWG reaffirmed that the sustainability and relevance of Kenya’s higher education system depend on a stable and well-motivated academic workforce, warning that continued neglect could further cripple the country’s universities.
