The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) is set to convene a National Governing Council (NGC) meeting in an effort to address growing divisions within its membership following the controversial decision to cancel a one-week strike.
The move to end the strike, which had been endorsed by the NGC to continue, has sparked significant backlash from branch officials and teachers across the country.
The fallout from this decision has been significant with many branch officials expressing frustration and calling for explanations from the National Executive Board (NEB).
In an internal communication to members on Wednesday, Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori acknowledged the backlash and called for calm as the union prepares for the NGC meeting, where the issues causing division will be discussed.
The meeting, initially scheduled for this week, has been postponed as union national Chairman Omboko Milemba is bereaved.
Mr Misori noted that some branch executive secretaries had as a result of the calling off of strike, addressed “highly charged press conferences castigating the NEB decision”.
“Whereas I appreciate the necessity for political posturing, some of your comments are going overboard. The NGC’s days is coming to pour over the NEB decision. The strike was a watershed moment for Kuppet. I wish you sobriety in taking stock of it and planning ahead. In solidarity,” Mr Misori stated.
Many teachers have viewed the abrupt end to the strike as a betrayal of their collective efforts to improve teachers' welfare and demanded explanations from the NEB.
A fall out among NEB members has also emerged following the move with claims some of the officials had betrayed the course to push for improvement of teachers’ welfare by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
On Wednesday, Nation.Africa confirmed that NEB members, including Woman Representative Catherine Wambilianga, Deputy Treasurer Ronald Tonui, Secretary for Secondary Schools Edward Obwocha, and Secretary for Tertiary Institutions Sammy Chelanga, were reportedly opposed to the strike’s cancellation without a formal return-to-work formula being established.
Mr Tonui, in a personal communication to officials seen by Nation.Africa , revealed that some NEB members were excluded from the critical meeting with TSC officials.
He confirmed that some of the officials, including Mr Chelanga, Mr Obwocha, Mr Chelanga and himself were left out of a team of union officials that went to meet TSC officials on Monday because a “NEB member had informed others that it was directed from above that we be excluded from the negotiations”.
He claimed that he insisted on obtaining a copy of the press statement from the meeting, which he believes should have included a formal return-to-work formula.
“I personally pressed for signing of the media briefing by the parties as we await formal consent which captures the return to work formula. The Commission was not willing to give us a copy but I insisted and we got it,” Mr Tonui explained to the officials and members of the union.
On his part, Mr Obwocha criticised the process, claiming that the agreement signed was not a proper return-to-work formula and that teachers had been shortchanged.
“We did not sign a return to work formula as claimed. The secretary-general signed on a press statement instead purported to be a legal document. Show me the return to work formula document as we know it. There is none,” Mr Obwocha said.
TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia signed the agreement on behalf of the commission while Mr Misori (Kuppet secretary-general) and Mr Julius Korir (vice chairman) signed for the union. The national chairman Omboko Milemba was away as he was bereaved.
"What was the reason for subjecting the NGC to endorse the continuation of the strike when it was going to end the way it has ended? This is not only anti-climax but a betrayal of the teachers' course," a NEB member who declined to be named wondered.
In response to the internal turmoil, branch executive secretaries are demanding a full explanation from the NEB arguing the decision undermines the teachers' struggle for justice and threatens the union’s credibility.
They include Orwa Jasolo (Migori), Mr Justus Kimeu (Makeuni) Mr Moses Kimwere (Isiolo) and Mr William Lengoyiap (Samburu).
"Mr Missori should shoulder the full blame for the debacle. The decision reflects the glaring disconnect from the realities on the ground and gross misjudgement of the teachers' unwavering determination," Mr Jasolo said.
The strike was initially called to address several key demands, including the employment of 46,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms at a cost of Sh18.5 billion, and the implementation of the second phase of the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) at a cost of Sh13.3 billion.
Additionally, the union sought the promotion of 130,000 teachers who had passed promotion interviews and improvements to the comprehensive medical cover, which faced a shortfall of Sh6 billion.
“As promised on August 21, 2021, the commission is today pleased to confirm that the government has provided funds for implementation of the second phase of the CBA with effect from July 1, 2024,” Dr Macharia stated on Monday as Kuppet called off the strike.
Dr Macharia said: “Specifically, the second phase of the CBA, which was due on July 1, 2024, was duly paid in August 2024 together with arrears.”
