KUPPET Teachers Demand an Audience with Nancy Macharia at TSC Headquarters.
The statewide strike will go according to schedule, according to the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).
This decision comes after the union requested a meeting with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on Thursday afternoon to discuss a return-to-work formula, but the union’s request to halt the current strike was denied by the commission.
In response, the TSC mandated that before any talks can begin, secondary school teachers must end their strike in accordance with a court ruling.
The commission maintained that it had paid the teachers’ salary arrears back to January 7, 2024, and that it had executed the last part of the 2021–2025 CBA.
Akello Misori, the secretary general of KUPPET, denounced the TSC’s ruling, calling it “dirty tricks” intended to drag out the strike longer as a means of punishing the union.
The Reason for KUPPET contacted TSC
Misori underlined that KUPPET’s choice to interact with the TSC was compliant with directives from the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU), the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Education, and parliamentary leadership.
We really requested a meeting from the Commission in a letter that we sent them. The letter was widely shared on social media before the Commission had a chance to reply, which shocked us much, Misori added.
“The Commission responded to us shortly after, and it was evidently written with the intention of strengthening the union’s stance and extending the strike. The letter told us to end the strike before contacting the Commission, and it was widely circulated on social media prior to our receiving it.
Akello Answers TSC’s Requests
Misori questioned the TSC’s outreach to them even though they knew they hadn’t yet called off the strike and why doing so was made a requirement for engagement.
He declared, “It is clear that the Commission was trying to make us look bad by portraying the union as in need of a meeting or as ready to call off the strike.”
“Such devious tactics merely serve to highlight the Commission’s lack of desire for a peaceful conclusion to the strike. The self-serving objective of the TSC is to console KNUT, who fled the walkout under duress, and to teach KUPPET a lesson.
The plot is developing in the midst of extensive media coverage on the TSC’s plan to penalize teachers who take part in the walkout.
Moreover, Misori claimed that TSC is actively abusing the police force to harass KUPPET leaders through its agents in the counties.
“Mr. Harrison Otota, the union’s executive secretary for Kakamega, was taken into custody today on false pretenses. While leading a union parade, Mr. Justus Kimeu, the KUPPET Executive Secretary for Makueni, was attacked and his vehicle was damaged,” he continued.
“The union only called for this strike in accordance with the law after the TSC refused to budge on their requests. Since the strike was called in accordance with Section 76 of the Labour Relations Act, it is legally protected.
The fifth day of the teachers’ strike has begun, despite a court ruling that put a stop to it while TSC’s case was being heard.
KUPPET Teachers Demand an Audience with Nancy Macharia at TSC Headquarters.
