Thousands of university lecturers could retire earlier than expected under a proposal by the Public Service Commission (PSC), prompting the Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) to threaten industrial action unless the plan is withdrawn and several long-standing labour disputes are resolved.
In a circular dated April 28, the PSC proposes lowering the mandatory retirement age for academic and research staff in public universities, research institutions and equivalent organisations. If implemented, the changes would significantly shorten the working lives of several categories of academic staff.
Under the proposal, professors and associate professors would retire at 70 instead of 74, while the retirement age for senior lecturers would fall from 74 to 65 years. Lecturers and research fellows face the steepest reduction, with their retirement age dropping from 74 to 60 years.
Assistant lecturers, tutorial fellows, junior research fellows, graduate assistants and research assistants would retire at 60 instead of 65, while research scientists holding PhDs or master’s degrees with relevant publications would retire at 65 rather than 70.
The circular further states that employees who have not reached the proposed retirement age would leave service upon attaining the new limits, while those who have already exceeded the proposed age would continue serving under the terms of their existing appointments.
The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from Uasu, which argues that the PSC lacks the legal authority to alter retirement terms agreed through collective bargaining. The union warned that the changes could worsen staffing shortages at public universities, where student enrolment has continued to rise.
“Retirement age was mutually negotiated. A circular from PSC cannot amend or override a negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA),” said Uasu Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga.
Dr Wasonga warned that lecturers could down their tools before universities reopen next month if the retirement proposal and other unresolved labour issues are not addressed.
Among the union’s key demands is the immediate payment of Sh6.6 billion in salary arrears arising from the 2017-2021 and 2021-2025 collective bargaining agreements.
“We were informed the arrears are being processed. The only thing I can say is to expedite the release of arrears for 2017-2021 and 2021-2025 in total. Not quarter arrears. I never negotiated quarter arrears,” he said.
The union is also pushing for the conclusion of negotiations on the 2025-2029 CBA, arguing that discussions have stalled despite an earlier agreement to finalise them within 30 days.
“Some students are expected to report later this month, but we must conclude the 2025-2029 CBA before universities open in September.”
Uasu further criticised the government’s failure to implement a car loan and mortgage scheme approved by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission in 2014.
“Lecturers cannot get car loans and mortgages, a scheme SRC approved in 2014. Other public servants are enjoying it while university lecturers have been left behind,” said Wasonga.
The union also opposed proposals to finance lecturers’ salaries from student fees rather than Exchequer allocations, warning that such an arrangement would create uncertainty over timely salary payments.
“Suppose students don’t pay? Suppose students defer? Salaries should come from the Exchequer every month. You cannot tie lecturers’ salaries to the number of students,” said the secretary-general.
In addition, Uasu accused universities of relying excessively on part-time lecturers instead of recruiting permanent academic staff, saying chronic understaffing has increased workloads and contributed to delays in graduating students.
“There is gross understaffing in public universities. Vice-chancellors think lecturers can simply be overworked. Our position is three units per semester. If there is more work, recruit lecturers.”
The union also criticised growing class sizes, arguing that overcrowded lecture halls are undermining the quality of higher education: “Lecturers are tired of teaching marketplaces. If you walk into some lecture halls, you would think someone is addressing a public rally. Yet you still claim we are offering quality university education,” said Wasonga. “How can you claim to be offering quality higher education when one lecturer is teaching a thousand students? How can you mark scripts for a thousand students within two weeks?”
Uasu maintained that unless the proposed retirement policy is shelved and the outstanding labour issues are resolved, it will proceed with plans for industrial action when universities resume operations.
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