Cracks have emerged in the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) after its National Executive Board (NEB) called off the two-week teachers’ strike on Monday without consulting the union’s top decision-making organ.
This has led to widespread disapproval among branch officials from all 47 counties, who feel sidelined in reaching the decision.
The National Governing Council (NGC), comprising executive secretaries from the 47 branches and the 10 NEB members, is the union’s highest decision-making body and holds the authority to initiate or call off industrial action.
On Sunday, the NGC met at Kasarani Sportsview Hotel in Nairobi and endorsed the continuation of the strike into its second week. The council has not rescinded this decision, which legally remains binding on all union members.
The Nation has learnt that the NGC resolved that any changes to the strike's status should be discussed in a virtual meeting convened by Secretary-General Akello Misori.
This procedure was not followed, however, as the NEB called off the job boycott after a day-long meeting with top officials of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), led by Chief Executive Officer Dr Nancy Macharia, on Monday.
The move prompted a walkout by Kuppet's Secretary for Secondary Schools, Edward Obwocha.
“It was unanimously agreed on Sunday that NEB members could engage all stakeholders to bring the strike to an end, including meeting President William Ruto if necessary, but the ultimate decision to call off the strike would rest with NGC members. This position has not been honored,” an NGC member, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said on Tuesday.
Mr Obwocha told the Nation in an interview that the union emerged from the meeting empty-handed, with due process not being followed in calling off the strike.
“We did not sign a return-to-work formula as claimed. The secretary-general signed 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.
“I left the meeting because TSC refused to give us a return-to-work formula or draft consent to be deposited in court. TSC has been known not to act in good faith in the past, showing that nothing has changed.”
Reports indicate that the union faced significant pressure from the government, with TSC allegedly withholding funds by suspending member contributions totaling millions of shillings.
In recent pay slips, the commission did not deduct the monthly remittances to the union, creating panic among Kuppet officials, who feared they would be unable to fund union operations or the strike.
Faced with these financial constraints, and in a bid to avoid the fate of their sister union, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), which saw its revenue plummet from Sh147 million to just Sh12 million a month after a previous strike, Kuppet officials decided to toe the line.
On Tuesday, union branch executive secretaries voiced their concern over the strike call-off and vowed to hold NEB officials accountable.
Tana River Kuppet branch secretary, Omondi Oluoch, expressed his disappointment, stating that the union’s top officials had “poured cold water on our faces and trivialized a serious issue.”
“The strike was a battle for the soul and dignity of the teaching profession, a fight to restore its lost glory. It took courage, sacrifice, commitment, and hope for a better, more dignified workplace, yet the NEB has betrayed us,” Mr Oluoch said.
The NEB's haste to conclude a deal with TSC was evident when they overlooked inaccuracies in the statement read out— including an incorrect start date for the strike, which was listed as June 26, 2024, instead of the actual start date of August 26, 2024, when schools reopened for the third term.
“We will debunk the narrative that the branch secretaries endorsed the strike's withdrawal. We had police permits to continue with the strike on Tuesday, and now they are useless. We have been betrayed by the head office, ” Mr Charles Ngeno, the Narok branch executive secretary, said.
“There is a lot of deception in the union. What we discuss in boardrooms is different from what the public hears in press conferences,” Mr Ngeno added.
It has also emerged that the fate of 46,000 intern teachers was not among the issues agreed upon, with TSC officials insisting that this matter would be dealt with solely by the president.
“In their haste to sign on the dotted line, the NEB officials did not even mention the fate of the 46,000 intern teachers, which was a central issue of the strike,” Mr Ngeno told Nation.africa
Kericho branch secretary, Mary Rotich, and her Bomet counterpart, Paul Kimetto, said teachers felt betrayed by the decision to call off the strike when they were prepared to remain on the streets to press TSC to meet their demands.
“It is unfortunate that teachers had secured police permits for peaceful demonstrations before the strike was abruptly called off. What was the purpose of convening the NGC on Sunday?” Ms Rotich asked.
Mr Kimetto echoed her sentiments, saying, “It is clear to all that the problem lies not with the branch officials but with those at headquarters who should bear the responsibility for the action taken without consultation.”
Kisii branch secretary Joseph Mogire said NEB members had betrayed the branches and teachers by calling off the strike without seeking authorisation as required by the union's constitution.
“Who gave the secretary-general the mandate to call off the strike without referring the matter to the National Governing Council? This is a total betrayal of our members who gave their hearts to the cause,” Mr Mogire said.
“The confirmation of JSS intern teachers, acting principals, their deputies, and issues related to allowances, among others, was not addressed. They have betrayed us after we have dedicated a lot of resources to the strike,” he added.
Branch secretaries, including Moffats Okisai (Busia), Caleb Mogere (Kilifi), and Francis Wanjohi (Nyeri), have separately said they will hold NEB officials accountable for their actions.
“The teachers feel wasted and betrayed. Why allow us to push deeper, harder, and firmer only for your team (NEB) to withdraw the strike prematurely?” Mr Okisai questioned in an interview.
The Nyeri representative accused top officials of disregarding the union's official position on the strike matters.
“Our constitution is the supreme document that guides all processes, yet the national officials have disregarded it completely. Where is the return-to-work formula in this case?” he asked.
In calling off the strike, Mr Misori on Monday stated that the issues raised by the union had been addressed by TSC and that any outstanding concerns would be handled progressively.
“Our primary concern has been the implementation of the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). We have noted the challenges with the compromised medical facilities, which have led to teachers being turned away from medical facilities, even those with critical conditions. Thankfully, we have managed to restore the previously reduced medical allocation,” Mr Misori said.
Nation.Africa has learnt that union officials across the country are consulting on the next steps in the highly controversial and divisive issue.
