Knut hits out at rival over pay talks

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has accused its rival Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) of trying to scuttle the salary negotiations with the Government.

Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion said as a union they had no intention of calling for a strike, adding that they would allow the candidates to first sit the national examination.

Sossion’s remarks at Bomet yesterday, followed Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi’s call to teachers to give dialogue a chance and warning against premature strikes.

Yesterday, the Knut chairperson accused Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba of trying to portray to the public that there has been a stalemate.

“Kuppet is out to scuttle the whole process but we are assuring our members that there is no stalemate yet. The Government has called for more time and we have given them till the 24th of this month,” said Sossion, who was accompanied by Bomet Knut Executive Secretary Malel Langat.

He said they would not be leaving the negotiation table but would continue piling pressure on the Government to increase teachers’ salaries.

“We want to assure candidates and the public we will not disrupt the examination, but we shall allow our members to continue manning the exam as we engage the Government,” said Sossion.

And speaking in reference to the push for pay hikes, Kaimenyi asked the teachers’ unions to respect the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s advice even as talks continue.

He said it would not be fair to keep on increasing teachers’ salaries without considering other public servants.

—Report by Charles Ngeno, Cynthia Awuor and Augustine Oduor