Kenya: The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has issued a seven-day ultimatum for Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi to appoint six Teachers Service Commission (TSC) commissioners or face industrial action.
Knut chairman Mudzo Nzili said it was unjustifiable for the TSC seats to remain vacant and complained that its work was being compromised. Mr Nzili noted that the TSC was constitutional commission and accused Prof Kaimenyi of frustrating efforts to appoint commissioners.
“TSC is the only constitutional commission operating with three out of the required nine commissioners,” said Nzili.
He said the shortage of commissioners was affecting service delivery and added that Kaimenyi should be held responsible for the inefficiencies that arise in the education sector. Speaking during the Nyeri Knut branch annual general meeting at Temple Road Hall, Nyeri, Nzili, who was accompanied by national officials, among them Jecinta Ndegwa and National Trustee James Mugo Ndiku, said the education sector had undergone a series of problems as a result of strikes by teachers and university lecturers. He demanded that the Government amends the controversial Education Act which he said disempowered the TSC. “If he fails to clean the mess in the Act, we will definitely demonstrate against him. We are calling a National Executive Committee meeting soon to deliberate on the issue and the best action,” he said.
Nzili said Knut would not challenge a directive issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto, which ordered head teachers and secondary school principals to release the certificates of candidates with fees balances. “We are a union and unions support the Government of the day. We are not ready to challenge the directive, since the same Government which issued it will also find ways of covering the balances,” he said. He was flanked by Nyeri Executive Secretary Mutahi Kahiga, chairman Mr Patrick Karinga, Laikipia Executive Secretary Jack Thangei among others.
The officials said teachers were keen to ensure the government fulfils its promise to increase their salaries.
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