Kisii leaders have expressed support for the Supreme Court ruling on teachers' pay increase, saying the government needs to pay teachers to avoid the looming strike.
Other leaders, however, have asked teachers to be patient and give the government time to source for the money and pay them.
Speaking on Sunday at Nyamagwa during a fundraising ceremony, South Mugirango MP Manson Nyamweya said there is enough money to pay teachers while his counterpart, Stephen Manoti of Bobasi constituency called on teachers to open schools while the government is looking into their issue.
“The law allows the minister to facilitate payment of teachers and have report represented to parliament and therefore, threats from TSC that teachers should report to work or face consequences are mere threats. Let teachers be paid their money, it's their right,” demanded Nyamweya.
Manoti argued: “We understand that our teachers are paid meagerly but my appeal to them is that they should not strike but instead give the government time to look for the money and pay them. The government has not declined to pay them.”
Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo, who was the chief guest in the fundraiser, said the government has enough money to pay teachers and thus demanded that teachers be paid to avoid strikes that he noted interfere with normal learning in schools.
KICC chairman and former South Mugirango legislator Omingo Magara said teachers have a right to ask for better pay but said all stakeholders should convene and lay down proper logistics on how the money is going to be paid to teachers.
On his side, Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka is an interview with this Journalist blamed the government for the troubles teachers are going through and demanded it to find an amicable remedy to solve out the pending issues between them.
He proposed slashing of allowances accorded to elected leaders to have money to pay teachers.
"There is a lot of money that is being wasted and the government can consider slashing our allowances so that it can get money to pay teachers. Some of the trips to overseas and even within Kenya waste a lot of resources that can be converted and have teachers paid well. Who don't know that governors, MPs, MCAs and other elected leaders misuse a lot of resources that can be used elsewhere?" asked Mr. Onyonka.