Education CS on the spot over financial, management woes in TU-K and UON

Education CS on the spot over financial, management woes in TU-K and UON

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 

Members of the National Assembly Committee on Education have questioned the Education Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Julius Migos Ogamba over governance and financial challenges facing public universities, specifically the University of Nairobi (UoN) and the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K).

Committee Members raised concerns over mismanagement, pending bills, staff welfare, and leadership wrangles asking CS Migos and PS Beatrice Inyangala to explain the Ministry's interventions. 

Lawmakers questioned the ballooning debts in universities, with UoN having a pending bill of Kshs 13.58 billion, including over Kshs 4 billion in historical bills and TUK grappling with a Kshs 12.99 billion in pending bills.

Hon. Rebecca Tonkei questioned why TUK had accumulated such a massive debt, saying, “A pending bill of Kshs 12.99 billion doesn’t make sense. Where will the funding come from to repay these debts."

Committee Members also challenged the ministry on leadership instability, citing instances where senior university positions remain in an acting capacity for years.

Hon. Phylis Bartoo sought to know the current chair of UoN’s Council, while Hon. Abdul Haro pressed the CS Migos over the revocation of a council appointment.

Hon. Clive Gisairo accused the ministry of turning a blind eye to individuals occupying the office illegally. “The University of Nairobi has individuals in office illegally at the taxpayers’ expense. What action has the Ministry taken?” he asked.

The Committee also scrutinized the staff rightsizing plan at TU-K, with Hon. Peter Orero questioned why unions were not consulted in the financial recovery strategy, which includes phased retrenchment.

Legislators expressed concern over the long-standing financial mismanagement in public universities, with Hon. Joseph Makilap pointed to a stalled student accommodation project at UoN’s Lower Kabete campus, initiated in 1990. “Is this a project worth reviving after 35 years?” he asked.

The Committee further took issue with universities failing to remit statutory deductions. "What is the role of the Commission for University Education (CUE) in enforcing compliance," asked Hon. Nabii Nabwera noting that TU-K has not remitted statutory deductions for staff for over 15 years. 

In response, CS Migos acknowledged that 23 public universities are technically insolvent, largely due to chronic underfunding, particularly for government-sponsored students.

In their submissions, the ministry outlined efforts to address governance issues, including a 2025-2026 Transformation Strategy aimed at streamlining university leadership, improving financial sustainability, and enhancing resource mobilization.

Hon. Mary Emaase questioned the fate of Kshs 5 billion reportedly lost from TUK’s pension fund. "We have received reports that TUK employees have lost their pensions. We need to know how the Kshs 5 billion was lost," she stated. 

Speaking on TU-K management, Hon. Peter Orero raised concern about the disconnect between management and unions. "This Committee talked to the Union, and they said categorically the management is not engaging the Union and the staff."

The Committee of Education is expected to continue engagements with University administrators, unions, and regulatory bodies to seek lasting solutions to the crisis.