As of March 2025, university staff across Kenya’s public universities are facing uncertainty over their retirement security due to the Government’s failure to remit approximately KES 25.9 billion in pension contributions. This financial backlog is likely to affect over 40,000 university employees and has sparked serious concerns about the long-term stability and governance of higher education institutions in the country.
The unpaid contributions have not only jeopardized staff welfare but also exposed a broader systemic failure in university funding and financial oversight. University leaders report being constrained by underfunding and delayed disbursements, which limit their ability to independently manage internal operations and fulfil statutory obligations. The situation has contributed to ongoing labour unrest, staff demoralization and interruptions in academic service delivery.
Comments/Recommendation
ACAF is concerned that the financial crisis threatens academic freedom indirectly by destabilizing the institutional environment in which teaching and research occur. Faculty operating under financial stress may face difficulties engaging fully in scholarly activities, while persistent labour disputes and administrative dysfunction compromise the university’s ability to function as a reliable site of learning and inquiry. Additionally, weakened institutional autonomy, evident in the reliance on delayed government funding, undermines the capacity of universities to safeguard the rights and well-being of their academic communities. ACAF consequently calls on the Kenya to put in enough resources to enable the enjoyment of the right to education.
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