The National Treasury has appealed to striking university lecturers to accept payment of their pending dues in instalments, citing severe fiscal constraints and competing national priorities.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Education on Tuesday, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the government cannot immediately settle the KSh7.9 billion owed to lecturers due to budgetary pressures.

Mbadi explained that the Ministry of Education had initially proposed paying the arrears in three instalments, a plan that was approved by the Treasury but rejected by the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU).

“We later revised the plan to two instalments one in the 2025/2026 financial year and the other in 2026/2027 but that proposal was also turned down,” Mbadi told the committee.

He emphasized that the government must adopt a realistic payment plan that maintains fiscal stability while fulfilling its obligations.

“We want to commit to an arrangement we can sustainably manage. Our economy is recovering from last year’s financial strain when we almost defaulted on foreign debt. I urge lecturers to appreciate the economic realities and accept a viable payment formula,” Mbadi said.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba echoed the Treasury’s position, noting that lecturers’ unions had rejected all proposals for phased payments, insisting instead on a lump-sum settlement.

“They insist on being paid the full amount at once, despite our explanation that the money has not been budgeted for — and that remains the current position,” Ogamba said.

He further clarified that of the KSh7.9 billion demanded by UASU, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) had verified only KSh624 million as payable arrears.

“By that time, we had already disbursed KSh200 million, leaving a balance of about KSh7.7 billion,” the CS added.

UASU, led by Secretary General Constantine Wesonga, has vowed to continue the nationwide strike until the full amount is paid. Wesonga accused the government of repeatedly reneging on past agreements, saying lecturers will not return to class until all commitments are honoured.

In addition to the pending arrears, UASU is demanding that the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) be negotiated, signed, and implemented in full.

The standoff has paralysed learning across public universities, with both unions and government officials under pressure to find a compromise that ends the impasse.