200 Knut members defect to Kuppet over health scheme deal

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) branch in Taita Taveta county has received a major blow after over 200 of its members defected to the rival Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet).

Speaking at a Voi hotel yesterday when he received the defectors yesterday, the Kuppet national chairperson Omboko Milemba said the former Knut members were angered by the executive decision to endorse the controversial Teacher Service Commission (TSC) backed AON Minet Medical Scheme without consulting branch officials.

The county has more than 2,000 Knut union members mainly from primary schools while over 600 Kuppet members are drawn from the secondary and tertiary institutions.

Mr Milemba criticised Knut for endorsing the programme that is outrageous and detrimental to the welfare of the teachers.

“We have already gone to court to seek suspension of the illegal deduction to our members. The medical scheme is a fraudulent project meant to impoverish teachers and we will resist an attempt by the State to impose it onto our members,” he said.

“Teachers in the country are not an income generating project for some schemers somewhere. We are not going to contribute anything to the AON Minet and anyone who will push us to the wall will face the wrath of the teachers.”

Speaking to the press after a meeting with the branch officials, Mr Milemba said the scheme would have negative impact on the teachers’ welfare.

The union boss was accompanied by among others the union national Vice Chairperson Julius Korir, Branch Executive Secretary Shedrack Mutungi, Branch Chairperson Mwaisakenyi Mwiwawi and the Treasurer Patrick Mukhwaya among other branch officials.

“The punitive medical scheme if implemented will cause mass defaulting on loans and will also turn teachers into beggars,” he said.

standing allowance

At the same time, Milemba said the union is demanding for standing allowance from the Government to be paid to tutors all public learning institutions.

He said teachers spent several hours standing while teaching and got nothing.

One of the defectors, David Sowa said Knut had proved to be a toothless entity in fighting for the welfare of the teachers. The secondary school teacher accused Knut officials of being self-seekers who made crucial decision without involving the union members.

The Knut Branch Executive Secretary Rosalia Mkanjala however dismissed the allegations of mass defections as false and out to hoodwink teachers to join the rival union group.

“Kuppet is luring teachers into joining the union by lying that their salaries will not be deducted,” said Ms Mkanjala. “The new scheme has more advantages and should be implemented.”