Teachers Protest After Receiving Pay Rise as Low as 36 Bob Despite Promise of Thousands

Hello and welcome to the Money News Roundup Newsletter. Today, we’re covering the controversy regarding the pay hike of teachers and the reduction of university fees.

Situational Awareness: Major roads within Nairobi are set to be closed over the weekend owing to the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN). The planned closure affects key roads leading to Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums. Read the list of affected roads here.

Teachers Lament as Some Receive Ksh36 in Latest Salary Increments

As detailed in a report by People Daily, thousands of secondary school teachers have received as low as Ksh36 in the latest salary increment.

Despite promises of significant salary increments through the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by their unions (KUPPET and KNUT) with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), many received as little as Ksh36 in additional pay.

Further compounding their frustration, KUPPET also deducts part of the pay rise to recover from past strikes.

“Our membership has expressed disbelief following the release of July payslips that reflect shockingly low salary increments, despite the recently signed 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) having promised meaningful increments across all job groups,” one teacher from Migori lamented.

Teachers recently signed an CBA that saw the government announce a salary increment of over 20%. Also adjusted was their baggage allowance, which is paid when they get transferred.

For the basic salaries, the lowest-earning teachers were to get a rise from Ksh23,820 to Ksh28,620. 

‍Why Kenyans Will Face Higher Pump Prices in 2026 

As reported in the People Daily, Kenyans face higher fuel prices from July 2026 as the Energy Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) implements the final phase of the Cost of Service for the Supply of Petroleum Products (COSSOP).

This initiative, which began in 2018, aims to increase profit margins for oil marketing companies (OMCs), with costs projected to rise from ksh4 in 2018 to ksh17 in 2025.

Currently, petrol retails at Ksh186.31 per litre in Nairobi, significantly higher than in landlocked Rwanda, where it costs Ksh161.80.

EPRA's Petroleum Director, Edward Kinyua, defended the latest bincreases, citing a 2023 COSSOP study and an increase in the Roads Maintenance Levy from Ksh18 to Kshh25. 

He stated that the phased implementation prevents an abrupt price shock, adding, "We have already done the worst. The next increase will be negligible.

Govt Revises University Fees

The Ministry of Education reduced school fees for all degree programmes in public universities.

In the new rate, the fees will range between Ksh5,815 and Ksh75,00 depending on the degree programme.

For instance, the maximum fee medical students can pay per semester is Ksh75,000, while the highest semester fee education students will pay is Ksh46,512.

We covered the latest fee. Read more here.

Govt to Sell 65% of Kenya Pipeline Shares

In the Business Daily, it is also reported that the government will retain 35% of Kenya Pipeline shares and list the other 65% on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

According to Treasury CS John Mbadi, the company is profitable, adding that the government has been receiving between Ksh3 billion and Ksh4 billion annually in dividend payments.

The CS indicated that the listing would be beneficial to the company by raising enough resources for its programmes. In the end, the company is expected to make more profit, a boost for investors.

“Although it is profit-making, the government gets just about Ksh3 billion or Ksh4 billion annually as dividends. I am sure that if we privatise KPC and retain just a 35 percent stake of ownership, we could make up to four or five times more out of that entity,” Mr Mbadi told the committee.

‍Fund Managers Make Profit as Appetite for MMFs Grows

Fund managers have multiplied higher profits driven by the growth of assets under management as more Kenyans invest in collective investment schemes. 

Financial statements from fund managers show profits rising in line with increased invested funds. Sanlam Investments East Africa Limited, for example, posted a 150 percent increase in net profit for the six months ending June 2025, reaching Ksh356.3 million from Sh142 million in the same period last year. 

The firm’s fund management fees also rose to Ksh1.3 billion from Ksh708.9 million. This surge in fees contributed to an 88.9 percent rise in total income, which grew to Ksh1.37 billion from Ksh725.1 million over the same period.

Read more on the Business Daily report here.