Knut withdraws 59 teachers from Isiolo schools

Knut secretary Union Collins Oyuu (centre) speaks during the union's NEC meeting in Nairobi on December 3, 2023.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), Isiolo branch has withdrawn 59 of its members from schools in Oldonyiro sub county.

The decision to withdraw the teachers was reached after a meeting of the branch executive committee members held at their office in Isiolo town yesterday that was chaired by the secretary Hassan Diba Halake. It was also attended by chairman Timothy Kimathi.

Mr Halake said the teachers---50 of them non-locals were withdrawn on security ground which the officials said had reached a point of no return.

Mr Kimathi said there were frequent incidences of brutal attacks on the teachers in the sub county, with Oldonyiro, Kipsing and Leparua locations identified as ' the most 'hostile' and 'unsafe' for the teaching fraternity.

The latest incident was an attack on a teacher last week. Kimathi revealed that the teacher was attacked by armed people who beat him senselessly with clubs and blunt objects while he was heading to Kipsing where his school is located from a nearby trading centre. He was left at the scene unconscious.

" Our member suffered grievous bodily harm and is currently admitted at a hospital after undergoing operation," said Kimathi.

Last March, a deputy Principal of High School at Leparua was shot dead by bandits while heading to his rural home for the weekend while riding on a motorbike. The motorcycle was stolen.

" The pattern of attacks on the teachers are all the same, they (attackers) target non-locals. Whenever these incidences occur, we are persuaded by the security team, local leaders and elders that action would be taken and the insecurity would be addressed but nothing had been done," said the chairman.

Mr Diba said when teachers signed terms of employment with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) the issue of insecurity was not part of it adding that their members would not offer their services when their lives are at risk.

Local leaders and the community heads, the officials said had also failed in prevailing on the criminals living in their midst to desist from their criminal activities that also include violently robbing teachers.

Last March 27, the officials revealed that they held a meeting with the security committee where troubled areas were identified following the killing of the deputy school principal.

" Despite teachers going back to school, no action was taken and the atmosphere of hostility continued. Last week we had our member savagely attacked and left for the dead," said Diba.

The officials said they have held a consultation meeting with the office of the county commissioner and education officials on Friday where they informed them of their decision to withdraw their members from schools there until their return-to-work conditions are fully met.

Knut's demands include arrests and prosecution of criminals behind previous incidents, return of stolen properties of teachers and safety and security of their members guaranteed in future.

" In Mandera, all teachers were withdrawn while no one was killed but due to incidents of targeting of non-locals outside the schools. In Isiolo, we have several murders and brutal attacks and we have today instructed all our teachers there to go home," stressed Halake.