The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) has put forward a new proposal for the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that will result in higher basic salaries, house allowances, car and commuter allowances and other benefits for academic staff in public universities.
This sets the stage for negotiations with the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) and comes as the 2021-2025 CBA has been delayed and has already triggered nationwide strikes.
Proposed Salary Increments (2025-2029 CBA)
If fully implemented the lowest paid staff (Graduate/Research Assistants) will earn a basic salary of Ksh 86,594 while the highest paid professor will take home Ksh 580,144 by June 2029.
New Salary Scale Proposal (Incremental Over 4 Years)
| Academic Staff Level | Current Salary | July 2025 | July 2026 | July 2027 | July 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Assistant/Research Assistant | Ksh 63,647 | Ksh 68,739 | Ksh 74,239 | Ksh 80,179 | Ksh 86,594 |
| Assistant Lecturer/Tutorial Fellow | Ksh 107,872 | Ksh 116,502 | Ksh 125,832 | Ksh 135,889 | Ksh 146,761 |
| Lecturer/Research Fellow | Ksh 121,928 | Ksh 131,683 | Ksh 142,218 | Ksh 153,596 | Ksh 165,884 |
| Senior Lecturer/Research Fellow | Ksh 154,739 | Ksh 167,119 | Ksh 180,489 | Ksh 194,929 | Ksh 210,524 |
| Associate Professor | Ksh 193,182 | Ksh 208,637 | Ksh 224,599 | Ksh 243,355 | Ksh 262,824 |
| Full Professor | Ksh 224,631 | Ksh 242,602 | Ksh 262,011 | Ksh 282,972 | Ksh 305,610 |
Note:
- Salaries will increase by 6% annually.
- The proposed salary adjustments will take effect from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2029.
House Allowance Adjustments
UASU is also pushing for an increase in house allowances with professors set to earn Ksh 116,028, up from Ksh 73,715.
| Academic Staff Level | Current House Allowance | Proposed House Allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Professor | Ksh 73,715 | Ksh 116,028 |
| Associate Professor | Ksh 66,344 | Ksh 104,426 |
| Senior Lecturer | Ksh 58,972 | Ksh 92,822 |
| Lecturer/Research Fellow | Ksh 55,286 | Ksh 87,020 |
| Assistant Lecturer/Tutorial Fellow | Ksh 51,601 | Ksh 81,220 |
| Graduate Assistant/Research Assistant | Ksh 35,383 | Ksh 55,692 |
Car and Commuter Allowance
All full-time lecturers will receive Ksh 60,000 as car and commuter allowance while part-time lecturers will receive Ksh 20,000, up from Ksh 15,000.
| Academic Staff Level | Current Allowance | Proposed Allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Professor | Ksh 50,000 | Ksh 60,000 |
| Associate Professor | Ksh 40,000 | Ksh 60,000 |
| Senior Lecturer | Ksh 32,000 | Ksh 60,000 |
| Lecturer | Ksh 24,000 | Ksh 60,000 |
| Assistant Lecturer | Ksh 20,000 | Ksh 60,000 |
| Graduate Assistant | Ksh 20,000 | Ksh 60,000 |
| Part-Time Lecturer | Ksh 15,000 | Ksh 20,000 |
Other Proposed Allowances
- Professorial Allowance – Paid monthly to teaching staff who hold the title of Professor.
- Book and ICT Allowance – Paid annually to all teaching staff.
- Annual Leave Allowance – Provided once a year to university lecturers.
- Non-Practice Allowance – Paid to academic staff who are also registered professionals in fields such as medicine, engineering, and law.
- Risk Allowance – Paid to lecturers working in hazardous environments, including medical, laboratory, engineering, ICT and environmental sciences.
- Extraneous Allowance – Paid to lecturers with extra responsibilities or who work under physically and mentally stressful conditions.
Retirement Age and Death Benefits
UASU has proposed to raise the retirement age for university lecturers.
| Academic Staff Level | Proposed Retirement Age |
|---|---|
| Graduate Assistant/Tutorial Fellow | 70 years |
| Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor/Professor | 74 years |
Death Benefits for Academic Staff
In case of the death of a staff member, the union is demanding:
- 96 months’ gross salary paid to the family under group life insurance.
- Three months’ gross salary for staff with over two years of service.
- Two months’ gross salary for staff with 1-2 years of service.
- One month’s gross salary for staff with less than one year of service.
- Ksh 80,000 for coffin purchase and burial expenses.
Government Response and Next Steps
UASU has submitted the proposal to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for inclusion in the 2025-2026 Budget.
However negotiations between UASU, government and public university councils are likely to be tough given that the 2021-2025 CBA has not been fully implemented.
If no agreement is reached UASU has shown it will call for strikes which could disrupt learning in public universities once again.
Conclusion
The 2025-2029 CBA proposal is a massive salary and benefits upgrade for university lecturers in Kenya. But full implementation is dependent on government approval and funding.
With previous CBAs experiencing delays we will see if the government will implement this new CBA without resistance.
If implemented the new salary scales and allowances will take effect from July 1, 2025 benefiting thousands of lecturers, researchers and academic staff in Kenya’s public universities.