TSC set to pay Sh17b pension arrears to retired teachers

Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia. (Photo: Willis Awandu/Standard)

About 22,000 retired teachers who have been pushing for their pension from the Government have been granted an early Christmas gift.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has finally signed a Sh17 billion agreement to settle pension and salary arrears owed to the retirees, who quit employment between 1998 and 2003.

Commission Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia confirmed she had signed the pension payout, which will end the long-running dispute that has been the subject of court battles for years.

“I can confirm that we have processed the arrears and some beneficiaries have already been paid," said Ms Macharia.

The money will be paid out to teachers who were in service when the Government agreed to pay salaries of up to 150 per cent in five phases, from 1997.

Through their lawyer Dominic Kimata, the retirees filed the case against TSC in the High Court in Nakuru.

Sought orders

They sought orders “for the declaration that together with other retired teachers they were entitled to retirement benefits inclusive of all other benefits provided for in the 1997 agreement”.

In its October 23, 2008 judgement, the High Court ordered TSC to process pension based on the salary award in the 1997 agreement.

The commission and the Attorney General lodged an appeal against the judgement but it was dismissed. Instead, the High Court's ruling was reaffirmed.

The teachers' employer was also ordered to pay the costs of the suit at the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

At one point, the retired teachers went to the High Court seeking orders for former commission secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni to be held in contempt.