NAIROBI, Kenya — Public universities in Kenya are grappling with a deepening financial crisis, with pending bills approaching Sh100 billion, raising fears over the sustainability of higher education institutions and access to learning.
Higher Education Principal Secretary Beatrice Inyangala told Parliament that mounting liabilities are choking universities, prompting urgent calls from lawmakers for accountability and a clear recovery plan.
Appearing before the National Assembly Education Committee, chaired by Julius Melly, the State Department for Higher Education revealed a widening funding gap that is affecting both institutional operations and student support.
The ministry is now seeking Parliament’s approval for a supplementary budget of Sh14.36 billion to sustain operations in the current financial year. Of this, about Sh14.3 billion is required urgently to plug immediate financing gaps.
At the centre of the crisis is a Sh43.6 billion shortfall facing the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), which has left more than 450,000 students without access to financial aid. Additionally, nearly Sh4 billion is needed to settle arrears tied to lecturers’ collective bargaining agreements.
However, it was the ballooning pending bills that drew sharp criticism from MPs. Lawmakers questioned discrepancies in figures presented by the ministry, accusing officials of undermining efforts to resolve the crisis.
“Now you are arriving here with a figure of Sh60 billion when the owners are saying they are being owed 32. You are seeing why we are not happy with you. The pending bills thing, we are throwing it back to you. We want to resolve this, but you are making it murkier for us by giving us incorrect figures,” Melly said.
Among the hardest-hit institutions are Egerton University, which leads with Sh25.5 billion in unpaid bills, followed by the University of Nairobi at Sh17 billion, Kenyatta University at Sh12.8 billion, and Moi University at Sh10.4 billion.
MPs also questioned the rationale behind selective funding allocations, citing concerns over equity and transparency. One legislator noted that while the ministry had requested Sh1 billion, only Sh600 million was allocated to a single university, leaving 32 public institutions underfunded.
Lawmakers further criticised continued investment in new projects while existing ones remain incomplete. Stalled infrastructure projects across several universities, including in Nairobi, Moi, Egerton, and Laikipia, have left students without adequate facilities.
“We have stalled projects, and we are still funding others… Yet as a state department, we are still not able to fund HELB and scholarships,” said Clive Gesaro.
