The Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) at the University of Nairobi (UoN) has strongly opposed the Public Service Commission's (PSC) recent retirement policy changes, cautioning that the move could decimate the university’s academic workforce by as much as 70 percent.
According to UASU, the PSC circular issued on March 2, 2026, with an addendum on April 28, lowers the retirement age for professors from 74 to 70 years, while senior lecturers and other academic staff must retire by 65 or younger. The union argues that this policy disproportionately impacts UoN, Kenya’s oldest university, which has a significant number of senior academics nearing retirement age.
Impact on Academic Workforce
UASU Secretary Prof. George Osanjo highlighted that the university has already lost nearly 40 percent of its academic staff due to retirements, resignations, and other exits, currently operating at about 60 percent of its previous staffing levels. Since 2020, recruitment has been frozen due to budget constraints, exacerbating the staffing shortage.
The union warns that enforcing the new retirement ages could further reduce the workforce by an additional 40 percent, potentially leading to a cumulative loss of 60 to 70 percent of academic staff employed as of 2020. Such a drastic reduction threatens the sustainability of teaching, research, and specialized programs reliant on experienced professors.
Concerns Over University Autonomy and Pension Scheme
UASU criticized the PSC for implementing the retirement policy without consulting universities, unions, or university councils, undermining institutional autonomy. The union also noted an unresolved issue regarding the University of Nairobi Pension Scheme, which is owed approximately Sh11 billion in unpaid contributions. The mass retirement could further strain the pension fund’s viability.
Calls for Stakeholder Engagement
The union urged the PSC to retract the circular and engage in fresh consultations with all relevant stakeholders. It also appealed to Parliament to intervene and called for retirement policies that reflect the unique demands of academic careers, allowing institutions to retain seasoned professors while recruiting new talent.
With Kenya facing a shortage of professors and specialists, UASU emphasized that the policy comes at a critical time as universities prepare to admit the first cohort of Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) Senior School graduates, a move that requires robust academic staffing.
