University of Nairobi lecturers have rejected a 2019 proposal by vice-chancellors to triple government-sponsored student fees, calling the plan financially unjust and poorly managed. The University Academic Staff Union (UASU) accused leadership of prioritizing non-essential expenditures over critical infrastructure needs.
Union secretary George Omondi highlighted discrepancies in resource allocation, noting the university spends Sh200,000 daily on tent rentals for events despite having sufficient halls. He criticized the lack of basic teaching equipment in classrooms, stating, 'Facilities to support education are absent while resources are diverted to non-essential costs.'
The proposed fee increase from Sh16,000 to Sh48,000 annually for government-funded students faces criticism for bypassing constitutional consultation requirements. The current rate, frozen since 1989, has not kept pace with inflation, according to university officials.
Omondi warned the hike would jeopardize Kenya's 100% primary-to-secondary transition goal, as low-income students would be priced out of higher education. 'This effectively means most children will stop at form four,' he said, referencing the final year of secondary school.
The plan requires parliamentary approval and would take effect in 2020. The UASU argues the fee structure fails to address systemic underfunding, with the university's training cost cap still set at Sh89,000 per student annually.
