Nairobi — The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education has raised serious concerns over the financial crisis at the Technical University of Kenya (TU-K), questioning the institution's leadership regarding delayed salaries, unremitted statutory deductions, and the collapse of its pension scheme.
The team, led by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, visited the university to assess its operational challenges amid reports of financial distress.
During the session, Committee Members expressed dismay over submissions by Vice Chancellor Prof. Benedict Mutua, who revealed that TU-K staff had not received their gross salaries since 2013, resulting in a backlog of unremitting statutory deductions.
"Since 2013, no staff member has received their gross salary, so statutory deductions, including pensions, NSSF, and NHIF/SHIF, have not been remitted. In January and February 2025, we managed to pay net salaries, not gross salaries," stated the Vice Chancellor.
Committee Vice-Chairperson Eve Obara (Kabondo-Kasipul) and Nabii Nabwera (Lugari) questioned whether an actuary had been consulted when establishing the university's pension scheme.
"To start a pension scheme, an actuary must conduct an evaluation. Did you engage one to determine the best use of the scheme?" Nabwera asked.
The Committee also raised concerns about staff morale, with Rebecca Tonkei (Narok County Woman Rep) questioning the university's decision to freeze promotions.
Technical University of Kenya Vice Chancellor Prof. Mutua explained that the institution is grappling with pending bills amounting to Sh12.99 billion.
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"To address the outstanding debts, the university has proposed a repayment plan running until the 2031/2032 financial year, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education," stated the Vice Chancellor.
He added, "My prayer to this Committee is that we help this university by bailing it out."
Committee Chair Julius Melly noted that a bailout is not a feasible option unless the university can make drastic changes to reduce its wage bill and generate income.
The Education Committee learned that TU-K currently has 12,701 students enrolled, but enrollment has been dwindling despite the university being located in the city center with good infrastructure and amenities.
"Something that I have noted in all these struggling universities is the number of infrastructure projects that have been started but have stalled. Why do you have three infrastructure projects that have stalled? For a struggling institution, why are you taking on more than you can handle?" Clive Gisairo (Kitutu Masaba) said while pointing out that TU-K's block expansion has stalled for several years.
