Both Jubilee and CORD have unfairly politicised teachers’ pay issue

The decision by CORD to hold a political rally in solidarity with teachers of this country is probably informed by the posturing of politicians in the ruling coalition against the teachers’ court awarded increment. It is the government side that first politicized the otherwise legal matter of teachers’ 50-60% increment on basic pay. Immediately the ruling was made, Jubilee MPs started demonizing the pay award. They started portraying teachers’ demands as opposition driven with intention of bringing down “their” government and “their” economy.

It is my opinion that probably the government saw defeat in the legal process and to save face, their political advisers, strategists and spin doctors devised a scripted scheme of politicizing the pay matter. Their aim was to eventually defeat the award using political means which include whipping up public emotions and fear of the unknown in terms of economic consequences.

JUBILEE legislators, bloggers, activists and supporters alike took to all fora to demonize teachers after the court ruling of 30th June, 2015. They spoke in vernacular radio stations, social media, all TV stations, newspapers and market places and made members of the teaching profession their subject of hate and discussion. They already politicized the matter even before their counterparts in CORD took over.

By claiming that the only options they have if they were to award teachers the 50-60% increment include raising VAT to 22%, diverting development budget and borrowing is fallacious and misleading. Nobody mentions about the over-allocation in some areas including the tens of billions allocated to CDF which the courts ruled against the other day, tax evasion by some billionaires and rogue corporate, runaway corruption and wastages which include up to 6bn for office flowers in government and public offices.

It is simple, to the owners of capital; teachers are commoners, the proletariat who should remain as such. They are not to be uplifted or empowered in any way because an empowered intelligentsia would always pose a threat to the establishment since such a group never subscribe like sycophants, to ideas or issues without questioning. Poor masses are easy to control since they won’t have time to question excesses, oppression, and corruption. Why? Because they live from hand to mouth and always pre-occupied with what to eat.

I believe teachers do not, and should not subscribe to either of the political divides between JUBILEE and CORD. Teachers and their unions are sufficient enough to fight for their rights by engaging the government of the day. The support expressed by CORD in the political rally is, and should be viewed as their own initiative and their own right as the official opposition to criticize and put the government of the day on meeting the expectations of their citizens.

To conclude, however, if CORD was sincerely supporting the teachers, then they should do so by introducing a motion in the National Assembly once it re-opens next week.  They should discuss appropriation and probably come up with workable proposal on how budget would be re-aligned to accommodate the well-deserved award by teachers. A political rally may not achieve much though it may only add to the already sustained pressure on the government to act and end the dispute for the sake of the learners.