Mbadi: Govt can only pay 50% of lecturers’ Ksh7.9B demand for now
That the stalemate between the striking lecturers nationwide and the government is far from over is now an open secret.
This is after National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, during a media presser on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, sent his clearest indication yet that the government will not be able to meet lecturers’ demand to be paid Ksh7.9B at once.
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In his message, Mbadi said the government is on its knees due to a difficult economic situation and urged lecturers to accept partial payment for the time being.
Government proposes a partial payment
“I would advocate or request that they accept the 50 per cent. In any case, in July next year, we will be at 100 per cent when we start a new financial year.
“Let them accept 50 per cent now, because what we are doing now is a supplementary budget, supplement, not a real budget,” CS Mbadi said.
He warned that increasing the budget immediately without considering fiscal constraints could have serious consequences for the country’s finances.
“It may appear like it is not a lot of money, but my friend, if you add another 1 billion to the budget, you can change the budget deficit from 4.8 to 4.9 per cent, and that has implications.
“If you are not working with budget figures and our fiscal frameworks, you may not understand some of these things,” Mbadi explained.
The Treasury Chief emphasised that the partial payment is a temporary measure aimed at balancing fiscal responsibility with the need to support lecturers while ensuring the government remains solvent.
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Economic context
Mbadi’s statement comes just a day after President William Ruto, speaking to Kenyans living in Doha, Qatar, highlighted the country’s economic achievements.
Ruto said the Kenyan economy has stabilised over the past three years, inflation has dropped, the shilling has strengthened, and foreign exchange reserves have grown.
Despite these positive remarks from the President, Mbadi’s warning underscores the tension between macroeconomic stability and immediate fiscal pressures, particularly in meeting large salary demands that could affect the budget deficit.
The standoff with lecturers continues, with government officials urging patience and understanding as financial adjustments are made to accommodate both public sector obligations and broader economic priorities.
