Varsity dons a happy lot after govt releases Sh5.2b for pay hike

Lecturers can finally smile all the way to the bank after the Ministry of Education released funds meant to cater for the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by their union officials and the government.

This agreement was reached upon after classes in the universities were paralysed for nearly three months from January to March 2017.

In a statement signed by Prof Collete Suda, the Principal Secretary for University Education, said the National Treasury has granted the ministry permission to incur the cost of 5.2 billion for the 2012-2017 CBA.

“The ministry of Education will transfer the funds to the accounts of the public universities as soon as the IFMIS system of the National Treasury opens before or by 31^st July 2017,” she further stated.

Related: University workers defy court order on strike

The CBA will see lecturers getting 17.5 per cent increase in basic salary and a 3.9 per cent increase in house allowance across the board, except for Maasai Mara University for which previous higher increments have taken into account.

This will help avert the crisis that has hit the public universities since the tail end of June. This comes hot in the heels of the nurses’ strike which has hit hospitals hard with people having to seek medical support from private facilities.

The country has been hit by strikes from different sectors which have plunged the country deep into crisis as the citizens prepare for the August 8 elections.