KUSU’s Dr. Charles Mukhwaya Demands Immediate Payment of KSh 7.9 Billion, Rejects CS Migosi’s Phased Plan

By John Kariuki

The Kenya University Staff Union Secretary General Dr. Charles Mukhwaya has firmly rejected Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba Migosi’s proposal for a phased payment of the 2017 to 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement arrears, insisting that the government must pay the full KSh 7.9 billion in one tranche immediately.

His remarks came in response to the CS’s recent appeal in Mombasa, where Migosi urged university staff unions to accept a two phase payment plan to end the ongoing strike and allow learning to resume.

Dr. Mukhwaya, in a strongly worded statement, said university staff will not return to work until the government clears the entire amount owed.

“The government must pay the KSh 7.9 billion in full. These arrears are not new claims but legally binding obligations that have been pending for years,” said Dr. Mukhwaya. “Our members have exercised patience for too long, and we can no longer accept piecemeal promises.”

CS Migosi had earlier explained that the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, verified the total arrears at KSh 7.7 billion and proposed to pay the amount in two phases due to financial limitations. However, Dr. Mukhwaya described the government’s explanation as unconvincing, saying the education sector deserves the same financial priority accorded to other national programs.

He called for the government to pay KSh 7.9 billion in one tranche immediately, noting that any delay would only deepen the crisis in universities and demotivate staff who have tirelessly served the nation under difficult conditions.

“The government has found money for other projects and institutions. It can also find funds to settle what is owed to university workers if it truly values education,” he stated.

He further dismissed claims that the ongoing strike is punishing students, arguing that the government’s failure to honor its agreements is the real cause of the crisis.

“Lecturers and university workers are not to blame. The Ministry of Education and the Treasury should take full responsibility for this disruption,” he said.

Dr. Mukhwaya emphasized that the strike will continue until all arrears are paid in full. He added that KUSU remains open to dialogue, but only if discussions are anchored on a clear and time-bound commitment to settle the total amount owed.

“Our position is straightforward. Pay the KSh 7.9 billion in one tranche and normal learning will resume immediately. Anything less than that is unacceptable,” he said.

The ongoing strike has severely disrupted learning in public universities across the country, leaving thousands of students uncertain about the completion of their academic programs.