Kenya’s teachers have rejected the government’s Sh17bn (£132m) pay offer, terming it inferior.
Their union – the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) – also dismissed the government proposal because they want to pay increase at once, not in phases.
Early on Tuesday, the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) withdrew an application to cite KNUT chairman Wilson Sossion and his secretary Mudzo Nzili for contempt of court (READ: Teachers’ commission withdraws contempt charge against union).
Knut officials, led by Wycliffe Omuchei, said on Tuesday that most of the union’s demands had been left out in the pay offer in contrast to those of rival – Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).
“KNUT is not only dismayed by this offer but also considers this an insult to the teachers. We totally reject this offer and we are asking the government to put a more serious and relevant offer on the table,” Mr Omuchei said during a news conference at KNUT’s headquarters in Nairobi. He is now leading the union after chairman Wilson Sossion and acting secretary general Mudzo Nzili were originally cited for contempt of court.
The union maintains that its agreement entered into with the government in 1997 must be addressed.
“Let us not forget the reason why we have this strike in the first place. We want the 1997 agreement fist cleared before discussing any new deal,” Mr Omuchei said.
The deal, signed 16 years ago, proposes house, medical and commuter allowances calculated at a percentage of an individual teacher’s basic pay.
