The Kiambu Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET) took to the streets today to assert that teachers will not return to classrooms despite a court order issued by the High Court on Tuesday.
The officials insist that the ongoing strike will continue until the government addresses their demands.
Speaking at a press briefing, Dr. Rose Kiiru, KUPPET chairman in Kiambu County, emphasized the union’s stance.
“We are here today to say the strike is on and we will only go back to work on one condition, that the return-to-work formula agreement is written, deposited in court, and agreed upon by our Secretary General Akelo Misori. Then we will go back to class. Until then, the strike will go on,” said Kiiru.
Dr. Kiiru also highlighted what she perceives as unequal treatment of teachers compared to politicians, further fueling the union’s dissatisfaction.
“When our teachers take one shilling that comes to the school, the government calls that corruption. When politicians take one shilling, the government calls that an economic crisis. That is discrimination,” Kiiru said.
Adding to the union’s grievances, KUPPET’s chairman declared that they will not follow the court orders since Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia also disobeyed court orders regarding the housing levy.
“Our employer TSC has shown us. She also disobeyed the court order that stopped the deduction of the housing levy in our pay slips. That is why we are also disobeying the court orders,” the chairman said.
Kiambu County Executive Secretary KUPPET, Moses Thogo, added that they will not go back to class until the government employs JSS teachers permanently.
“We are protesting as teachers from Kiambu because the government so far has not adhered to employing Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers permanently, and we are saying enough is enough. All they have so far done is, and can be confirmed, the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA),” Thogo said.
Additionally, Thogo demanded that teachers be given their municipality allowance, which they have not received.
“Kiambu is a municipality in its totality. We, therefore, demand—not ask—that we be allocated the municipality allowance.
Thogo said the strike will continue until the National Governing Council calls it off. “The strike is on until the National Governing Board calls off the strike. Till then, TSC can sack all the teachers and employ others,” he said.
The Kiambu KUPPET teachers have made several demands that include the promotion of 130,000 teachers, reinstating their medical cover, remitting of third-party deductions, conversion of interns to permanent and pensionable (PNP) positions, review of career guidance, and confirmation of acting administrators.
In a letter to KUPPET Secretary Akelo Misori, the TSC insisted that the union must end the work boycott in accordance with the court order issued on Tuesday, which mandated the strike’s suspension.
The Employment and Labor Relations Court in Nairobi issued an order stopping the secondary school teachers’ strike after the TSC lodged an application on Monday, August 26. The court directed the teachers’ allied KUPPET union to return to work pending further orders on September 5, 2024.
By Sylvia Wanjohi
