University staff to receive Sh10bn arrears

From left, sitting: Universities Academic Staff Union deputy Secretary-General Kenzi Joab, chairman Muga Kolale, Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga and vice-chairman Mutura Mberia in Nairobi in February 2017. FILE PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The deal for the payment was signed in March and ended a more than one month job boycott by the workers which had paralysed learning in 35 public universities across Kenya.

  • Lecturers, who are about 9,000, will receive Sh6 billion to cater for their salaries and allowances, Sh1 billion will go to lower cadre non-academic staff who work in the institutions, while Sh3 billion will go to middle-level staff in the universities.

More than 30,000 university staff will receive their Sh10 billion arrears, which is supposed to be paid by close of business on Friday.

The deal for the payment was signed in March and ended a more than one month job boycott by the workers which had paralysed learning in 35 public universities across Kenya.

Lecturers, who are about 9,000, will receive Sh6 billion to cater for their salaries and allowances, Sh1 billion will go to lower cadre non-academic staff who work in the institutions, while Sh3 billion will go to middle-level staff in the universities.

Members of the University Academic Staff Union who will benefit are from Grades 11 to 15 while the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers members from Grades 1 to 4 will benefit in respect of basic salary and house allowance for a total sum of Sh1 billion.

BASIC SALARY

Kenya Universities Staff Union members will benefit from Grades 5 to 15, in respect of basic salary and house allowance for a total sum of Sh3 billion.

The ratio of sharing of the Sh10 billion awarded by the government for the 2013-2017 CBAs among Kudheiha, Kusu and Uasu was 1:3:6.

The Technical Sub-Committee of the National Implementation Committee has since computed the basic salary and house allowance arrears due for members of each union based on the respective CBA schedules.

On Thursday, Uasu secretary-general Constantine Wasonga said they are optimistic that the money will be in their members’ accounts by Friday.

'LOGISTICAL ISSUES'

“We are waiting for this money since all logistical issues have been addressed,” said Dr Wasonga.

This means that the highest-paid lecturer will take home up to Sh1 million in accumulated arrears and the lowest-paid about Sh400,000.

The lowest-paid professor, who earns Sh144,672, will now take home Sh171,207 a month.

The amount translates to accrued arrears of Sh745,953 and the least-paid academic staff – an assistant lecturer – will now earn Sh85,159, up from Sh69,794, with the highest-paid getting Sh121,121, up from Sh99,642. A lecturer currently earning Sh83,361 will now pocket Sh100,836; the highest-paid currently getting Sh118,861 will now get Sh143,779.

CURRENT AMOUNT

Senior lecturers will get Sh111,753, up from Sh94,215, and the highest-paid in the category currently getting Sh135,243 will earn Sh160,418.

An associate professor earning Sh122,956 will now get Sh145,508 with the highest getting Sh204,684, up from Sh172,960.

A professor earning Sh144,672 will earn Sh171,207 and the highest-paid will get Sh250,592, up from Sh211,753.

Maasai Mara University assistant lecturers will get a house allowance of Sh51,601, up from Sh49,623.

HOUSE ALLOWANCES

Lecturers’ house allowances will increase from Sh53,167 to Sh55,286, senior lecturers’ will increase from Sh56,711 to Sh58,972, associate professors’ from Sh63,800 to Sh66,344 and professors’ from Sh70,889 to Sh73,715.

Under the deal, all university academic staff members will now enjoy a house allowance of 3.9 per cent.

The increase means that academic staff will enjoy a salary increase of 17.5 per cent.

The university staff had wanted a 30 per cent basic salary increase per year for four years and a 20 per cent rise in house allowance per year for the same period.