Raila tells government to honour teachers’ proposed pay rise

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga address the crowd that gathered at Uriri town in Migori County. (Photo: Denis Ochieng/ Standard)

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called on the Government to pay teachers the salary increment awarded to them by the Industrial Court recently.

Speaking at his in-law’s home in Mukuyu, Migori County, Raila said the Government is playing games with the teachers’ issue and should settle the matter once and for all.

“We are concerned about the welfare of teachers. They started agitating for salary increment in 1997 and we were just given promises by former President Daniel arap Moi. When I was prime minister, we negotiated the matter together with the Ministry of Labour and agreed to pay teachers in phases. It is the Jubilee Government that has stopped paying teachers since it came to power. It must respect the court order,” Raila said.

He said the Government should not waste time appealing the case since it is the same Government that went to court about the teachers’ issue.

“This matter cannot drag on indefinitely. Let the Government give them what the court has awarded them. Just the same way the Government came up with a supplementary budget of Sh193 billion before the end of last financial year to be spent in five days, it should do so to pay teachers. Going to court or delaying payment is unacceptable,” he said.

Decreased standards

The former premier said it is only by paying teachers that parents will get rewards for investing heavily in their children’s education.

“Continuous strikes by teachers have decreased education standards and since the court has offered a solution, let the Government pay so that teachers remain in class to teach and not in the streets to protest,” Raila said.

Commenting on the nationwide demonstrations over the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), Raila faulted the Jubilee Government for failing to listen to the workers.

“I have instructed Opposition MPs to come up with amendments to the Constitution to peg the NHIF contribution to net pay and not gross salary. Taxing gross pay is an injustice as it has never happened anywhere in the world,” he said.

Yesterday, the CORD leader said CORD’s Okoa Kenya referendum initiative is in its last stages and soon Kenyans will be able to download soft copies of the Okoa Kenya draft bills that they can read and understand.

“We have reduced the issues to three - devolution,  inclusivity and restructuring of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. We want to firmly anchor devolution in the Constitution so that Kenyans continue to reap the benefits of devolution,” he said.

On the expected Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) grassroots elections at the end of this month, Raila called on party supporters to elect credible leaders that will move the party forward.

“We have staggered the elections from July to October. Let us be proud that ODM is the only political  party that does elections. Let us use this moment to rebuild the party,” he said.

Raila was speaking during a ceremony to unveil the cross and mark the first anniversary of his late mother-in-law Rosa Ayuya.

Owe children

 Migori Governor Okoth Obado lauded Raila for fighting for devolution.

“We are seeing what devolution is doing to our people and we are ready to work together to ensure devolution changes our lives. We are grateful that Raila brought us devolution. Let us unite to steer our country to greater heights,” Mr Obado said.

Ida Odinga, Raila’s wife called on parents to invest in their children’s education.

“As parents, we owe it to our children to give them quality education under a clean environment. This way we will build our country and prevent diseases like cholera and jigger infestation that continue to affect us and our children, “ Ida said.

Dr Wenwa Akinyi, Raila’s sister, called on the youth to stop taking alcohol and focus on their future.

“Our youth are drinking too much and have become irresponsible, to the extent that young men cannot sire children. This is dangerous for our country,” she said.

ODM chairman and Suba MP John Mbadi called on the clergy to help mobilise the youth to get identity cards and register as voters to fully participate in the 2017 General Election.

Other leaders who attended the function include Migori local Women Representative Dennitah Ghati, area MP John K’Obado and Nominated MP Oburu Oginga.