Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) National Chair Emuhaya Member of Parliament Omboko Milemba has revealed that the 10,000 teachers who visited State House on Saturday received Ksh.10,000 each as “transport reimbursement”

According to the KUPPET chair, the teachers were each given Ksh.10,000 when they went to meet President William Ruto to discuss salaries and other terms of employment. This means State House spent a total of Ksh.100 million on reimbursements. 

Speaking to Citizen TV on Tuesday, the legislator said that teachers managed to iron out pending issues on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Teachers Service Commission.

“Teachers never went to State House just for money. Teachers were going to look at their issues…Transport reimbursement for teachers was Ksh.10,000,” he said

“The CBA which was Ksh. 33.8 billion was to be paid in 4 years and after interaction with the President, we came to an agreement that it would be paid in 2 years.”

He added that the meeting at the house on the hill also allowed P1 teachers to secure better employment terms.

“There had been a freeze on employment of P1 teachers and some of them are even retiring before they even work. We agreed that they will start getting employment during the next financial year,” he added.

His sentiments were however met with a swift rebuttal from Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, who disputed reports that the meeting was keen on addressing the teachers’ needs.

“What I saw in State House was a meeting to create a perception that the President has the support of teachers but the critical issues are never discussed,” she said.

She added that the meeting was a stark image of how the Executive has usurped the National Assembly’s powers by handling matters that should be debated in Parliament.

“This report (CBA) was supposed to be discussed in Parliament. Budgets are allocated by the National Assembly so when the President says that they are going to review capitation, he is showing that he has taken the role of Parliament and has become a dictator,” she argued.

“I am disappointed that teachers are being taken for a ride and can be paraded in State House just for a meal and dance.”