Teachers’ unions divided on CORD protest rallies

Teachers unions in the region are undecided on whether to join the protest rallies called by the Opposition to push the Government to pay teachers their salary increment.

While some union officials asked their members to participate in the rallies, others were of the opinion that their members should keep off and give the Judiciary time to handle the matter.

Some officials from the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and their Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) counterparts asked the CORD leadership to decentralise the protest rallies so as to enable teachers from the grassroots to participate.

CORD has notified the police that it will hold demonstrations at Uhuru Park in Nairobi on Wednesday.

Siaya County Knut Chairman Alex Dunga said the rallies are likely to force the Government to act on the current pay stand-off.

"This country now needs mass action because, it is the language the Government understands best. The demonstrations should be decentralised to counties for full participation by members," said Mr Dunga.

Migori County Kuppet Chairman Kennedy Makasembo said the union will mobilise her members to attend the planned Uhuru Park rally.

"We are planning to attend in large numbers. We are requesting for many other rallies across the country," he said.

Homa Bay County Kuppet Executive Secretary Stephen Yogo said the union welcomes any activity that will help the teachers to obtain their 50-60 per cent pay increment awarded by the courts.

"As a union, we shall not shut our doors to all stakeholders who want to add their voices and put pressure on the Government to pay teachers," he said.

Kisii County Kuppet Executive Secretary Ben Nyaundi said the branch is in support of the rallies.

"We are going to join it. We are planning to ferry some of our supporters to Nairobi," he said.

However, some of the union officials differed saying politicising the matter will affect the court case.

Kuppet Kisumu Chairman Zablon Awange asked teachers to obey the court ruling, which directed teachers to keep off the streets.

"Whereas, we welcome individual support to pressure Government to observe the rule of law, for respect of the judiciary we as a branch might not join the Wednesday demo," he said.