MBADI DEFENDS TREASURY

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has denied claims that the Treasury is to blame for the ongoing lecturers' strike, and is instead pointing an accusing finger at the Ministry of Education and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

Speaking during the Citizen Weekend program on Saturday night at Citizen Tv, Mbadi said the stalemate was due to miscommunication between the two institutions, arguing that the Treasury had already completed its side of the deal struck last year.

He explained that the government had honored the deal it struck with the universities by releasing Ksh 4.3 billion last year under Article 223, which was later regularised in the Supplementary Budget.
"For me, the problem of the lecturers' strike is not with the Treasury. The issue is the confusion between the Ministry and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). That's where it needs to be resolved," Mbadi said.

"Last year, we entered into an agreement and disbursed Ksh.4.3 billion as agreed. It was disbursed under Article 223 and later regularised in the Supplementary Budget. For this financial year, we committed to disburse Ksh 2.7 billion, which we already disbursed at the beginning of the year — although it was supposed to be disbursed over the course of the year. We decided to disburse it in one tranche."

The Treasury CS also questioned the lecturers' timing in complaining, since the arrears they are referring to are from a number of years back.

"I will also say that the question of how much was allegedly to be owed is something I've heard of — I don't have all the facts. That matter lies with the Ministries of Education and Labour," he said.

"As far as I know, there were funds that were supposed to have been paid between 2017 and 2021. I do not understand what the lecturers were waiting for; whether the funds that are owed in 2021 and were not paid are the ones. I do not understand why it has taken until 2025 for these matters to be raised."
Mbadi, however, acknowledged that the issue is a growing concern, attributing that the current government must address historical financial arrears as it consults with line ministries to determine what is actually owed.

"This is one government — a continuing government — and we have to deal with the baggage of the past. Let them, however, agree with the Minister of Education on how much is actually owing to them."

On capitation, the Secretary to the Treasury maintained that government has been paying funds in full, following the agreed formula of 50 per cent, 30 per cent, and 20 per cent, but highlighted a long-standing problem of underfunding that has existed for many years.

He went on, "But there's been this persistent problem of underfunding of capitation, and I've spoken about it before. Sometimes when I mention it, I don't know if people don't hear me or just don't want to.".