This archive report was first published on 11 July 2019.
On July 11, 2019, lecturers in Kenya, represented by the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu), submitted their salary demands to the Ministry of Labour, citing the need for a significant increase in their pay due to the country's economic hardship.
The union is seeking to have their salaries tripled, with specific proposals for various allowances, including house allowance, academic and professional allowance for professors, and book allowance.
According to Uasu Secretary General Constantine Wasonga, the proposed rates for house allowance are comparable to those paid to certain public sector employees, such as legislators, who earn a house allowance of Sh250,000 per month.
The lecturers are also seeking to standardize allowances and benefits payable to academic staff in different public universities, resulting in fairness in compensation for similar work across the universities.
Uasu has proposed that collective bargaining of all items be negotiated centrally between the union and one body representing the employers.
Justice Byram Ongaya has directed that the matter come up for hearing on September 23, with the Ministry of Labour expected to file an economic report in court within 60 days.
