A leading historian don believes Jubilee government would crumble in 2017 polls if hesitates to handle endless teachers’ pay rise stalemate.
Teachers have been locked in a series of wrangles with employer Teachers Service Commission which culminated to a month long strike in September 2015.
But Prof Nyanchieo Bogonko noted on Sunday that the crisis is likely to take a political dimension and prove costly to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s reelection bid.
“The teachers of this nation have been mishandled by the Jubilee government. The government is on record for violating an industrial court order and a number of agreements with them. The salary increment crisis is a perilous issue that government is playing around with,” Bogonko warned.
“President Kenyatta should prepare packing in 2017 because teachers play a key role in defining political dimension. If they reject him, then he should prepare to exit State House,” he said.
He challenged the government to learn from Monday’s Kericho by-election which he predicted that would be tightly contested.
“On Monday (today), the outcome of Kericho senatorial election may not be that promising. Teachers support KANU candidate and even if he doesn’t win, statistics would really shock them. The government would have even sailed through without an election there if it’s not this payment issue,” he said.
Bogonko criticized the government for allegedly being hell-bent in fighting corruption saying the economy of the nation is likely to collapse beyond repair in five years’ time.
“There is corruption everywhere within the government. It’s then ridiculous that they can’t pay teachers. Our economy is crumbling and in five years’ time, people will be talking of a failed state. Let him (Kenyatta) fix issues pertaining teachers to be on the safe hand,” he said.