Murang'a ECDE tutors reject four-year fixed contract

ECDE teachers in Murang'a reject a new four-year renewable contract.[File, Standard]

Operations at the Murang’a County Government headquarters were disrupted after ECDE teachers camped at the entrance protesting over a new four-year renewable contract.

The protest paralysed learning in the ECDE centres across the sub-counties as the teachers disowned the decision of the county government to be engaged on a four-year term.

Led by Wanjiku Mwangi, the 1,110 ECDE teachers demanded that they be placed on permanent and pensionable terms.

The teachers poured into the streets of Murang’a, chanting slogans against the Murang’a County Government over attempts to hoodwink them with a four-year contract with an increment of salary of Sh 6,000 annually.

They later held 30-minute prayers outside Governor Irungu Kang’ata’s office as they blocked the entrance during the lunch hour, vowing they would only accept permanent and pensionable terms.

Wanjiku said they disowned a four-year contract arrangement with the county government as they demanded permanent and pensionable employment terms, like their colleagues in other counties, accusing the devolved unit of playing politics.

The new agreement, entered into on June 4 by the County Public Service Board, is set to be effective on July 1, once signed.

They accused the county government of any interest in funding the construction and rehabilitation of the ECDE centres, ignoring the plight of tutors paid at Sh17,000 per month, as they demanded house and travelling allowances like other employees.

But the county government, in response, clarified that ECDE teachers will benefit from the pay rise as conclusively addressed in the 2026/ 2027 budget

The devolved unit stated that once the budget is approved by the county assembly, the agreed salary adjustments and employment measures will take effect.

In the contract, the communication was structured to ensure improved terms for ECDE teachers, designed to maintain compliance with existing laws and safeguard the long-term sustainability of the county wage bill.

“The County Government notes that the substantive issues have been resolved and that the remaining debate is largely political in nature, with some leaders seeking to politicise a matter that has already been addressed through consultation and the budgetary process,” added the communication.

Murang’a in the year 2026/2027 has allocated a recurrent budget of Sh822.1 million under realignment at the County Assembly for salaries and allowances for the ECDE teachers and support staff, operational costs for ECDE centres, administration and oversight of vocational training centres, and polytechnics.