CS Matiang'i: Teachers to get September salary

Teachers will this week receive double salaries.

Sunday, nominated Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i announced that teachers will from November 30 receive their September salaries, which were withheld by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) as punishment for going on strike. The payment will coincide with their November salaries.

"Had discussions with TSC Secretary, consulted with colleagues Attorney General and Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich. Teachers' September salaries to be paid from tomorrow (Monday)," Matiang'i tweeted Sunday.

But leaders of the two teachers unions reacted cautiously to Matiang'i's announcement. Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) officials Sunday said they had not received any official communication.

"What about union deductions? We do not want to talk about these things freely anymore until we see pay slips," said Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion.

He said both unions will meet Matiang'i this morning.

Mere tweet

"Let me not comment about it because we do not want to speculate anymore," he said.

Making the announcement Sunday, on twitter, Matiang'i said he has also arranged for more consultations with teachers' union.

Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori said Matiang'i's announcement was a "mere tweet that cannot be verified".

He, however, said if true, teachers would support Matiang'i for the good gesture.

"That could be a positive gesture but we are meeting him tomorrow (Monday) so we shall get the whole story," Mr Misori said.

Matiang'i also announced that he shall be meeting the teachers unions today. "Looking forward to consultative meeting with Knut and Kuppet tomorrow morning."

The development comes days after salary talks between the teachers' employer and unions collapsed.

TSC had insisted that payment of September salaries and the release of union dues be on top of the agenda, an idea that was flatly rejected by the two unions.