A revelation by Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Njeri Maina that MPs aligned to the government were recently given Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employment letters to give their constituents has kicked up a storm over irregular hiring.
Teachers’ unions have protested the practice, saying it is contrary to the law and denies deserving Kenyans a chance to be employed, as the country faces a huge unemployment rate among trained teachers.
“We were called to State House and I will say it openly. We were given letters for [employment of] teachers. I went with eleven MPs from Kiambu and each was given twenty letters, totalling 220 letters,” she stated.
“From Murang’a, we went alongside Mathioya MP [Dr Edwin Mugo]. And I know here in Maragua Constituency, there are teachers who are still waiting for jobs. Your MP is my friend. I will drag him and bring him back to the government so that you may get development,” she stated.
She claimed that MPs who did not show up at State House had failed their constituents as they will not get a chance to secure teaching jobs.
Jobs for loyalty: An open secret
With the remarks, Ms Maina appears to have unwittingly lifted the lid on an open secret in political circles: that jobs at public institutions are being bartered for loyalty.
Former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu was once caught on camera issuing an job letter to an unemployed teacher at a public event in Kisii County.
Former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Last year, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse, who came into national prominence after he moved the motion that eventually impeached former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, bragged of his influence at a funeral in December.
“Talk among yourselves and identify a qualified teacher who is willing to work at Muatini Secondary School. Give me the name before the end of this ceremony so that he can be processed on Monday and start teaching immediately. You wondered why I joined the government. Can someone who is not in government employ a teacher at a funeral?” he posed.
Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse speaks during a funeral at Muatini Village in Makueni County on December 14, 2024.
Photo credit: Pius Maundu | Nation
Yesterday, the acting Secretary-General of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), Moses Nthurima, and the deputy secretary-general of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), Hesbon Otieno, warned that employment of teachers outside the legal procedures will affect the education sector.
They warned the government against politicising the education sector, adding State House has no mandate to hire teachers.
“You can imagine when MPs are choosing their cronies and relatives to be employed. Yet, those who completed college in 2016 are still waiting to be absorbed on merit. Will you be employed because you know a politician? What kind of image are we creating?” Wondered Mr Nthurima.
He said the MPs are fighting against meritocracy in education, adding that employment in the sector should be about merit.
“So when you employ teachers on political grounds it means you are now fighting merit, where an opportunity given to a person who completed college earlier than the other. Because the policy is that the person who completed college earlier must be considered first and the backlog is cleared as they move,” explained Mr Nthurima.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
He said the trend is worrying and that interference with the independence of the TSC means the Commission has lost its meaning.
“We want to take exception with TSC. How do they issue employment forms to politicians? It is very unfortunate because they are politicising education, which is not the way to go,” he added.
Mr Otieno said the trend will destabilise staffing norms at the commission and lead to unequitable distribution of teachers across the country.
“The operations of TSC should not be politicised. TSC is a professional body. It has duties including to recruit and appoint staff,” he added.
It is still not clear how the employment letters get into politicians’ hands. The director for legal, labour and industrial relations at the TSC, Cavin Anyuor, did not respond to our calls and text messages on the matter.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has also waded into the debate and said the letters are not for all leaders but only a select few aligned to government.
“Those with money get their letters; those without must rely on government handouts. This practice is disadvantaging the most vulnerable and deserving teachers.”
In its manifesto, the Kenya Kwanza government pledged to employ 116,000 teachers within two years of assuming office. So far, 56,000 permanent teachers and 20,000 intern teachers have been recruited.
