TSC moves to end Knut, Kuppet unending wars

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has come up with measures to help end rivalry between two teachers’ unions.

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) have recently engaged in a battle over members, which ended up in court.

TSC’s move comes after Kuppet lost a court case in which it had challenged the transfer of its 1,958 members to Knut. 

Kuppet had sued Knut, TSC and its Secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni over what they termed irregular transfer of its members to the rival union.

However, Justice Stewart Madzayo, in his ruling, ordered all members in question be reverted to Knut and the teachers’ dues that were held by TSC in suspense account be paid.

Names for deductions

Knut Secretary General Okuta Osiany said the amount to be released to the union is Sh6 million. “The court has ruled. We want this money transferred immediately,” said Osiany.

Knut boasts of more than 200,000 members against Kuppet’s 47,000.

Lengoiboni on Tuesday said the current system where individual unions mobilise for membership and forward names for deductions must be revised.

“We want any teacher who wants to join a union to get endorsement from heads’ associations. We shall only accept forms that will have been endorsed by these officials,” he said.

 He also said that each member will submit in writing a letter signed by the relevant officials stating when they wish to join or transfer from the unions and the dates from which they want their deductions made.

“These, together with other measures that we shall put in place will ensure unions respect each,” he said.

A circular earlier sent to the two unions demands that all membership forms be forwarded to TSC by the head teacher of an institution where the member works.

He said starting July 1, the commission will not accept any form unless it has been forwarded by the head teacher.

Lengoiboni also asked the two unions to redesign new forms to provide for space for the head of institution’s signature, date and rubber stamp. In his ruling, Madzayo ordered the unions to model their membership application forms to include other features such as witness, name and signature, full address, phone numbers and TSC registration number.

Date of effect

He ordered TSC to ensure all forms forwarded to concerned members in the event of resignations and date proposed from which transactions will be effected.

“Upon receipt of the new membership application forms, TSC shall acknowledge receipt and propose the date of effect on the integrated payroll personal data,” said Madzayo.