Teachers from Kisii County have told President Uhuru Kenyatta that he risks not getting their support in the 2017 general election for failing to honour the salary increase awarded to them by the courts.
The teachers, led by Kisii County Kenya Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) leaders vowed that they will ensure President Uhuru is not re-elected since he has betrayed them.
Speaking to the press in Kisii town on Monday after leading their members in street demonstrations to condemn the President's remarks that the Government will not pay them, the unionists were adamant that they will not support Uhuru’s re-election.
"We are making it clear as teachers from Kisii County that we are not asking for a favour from President Uhuru’s government but a rightful court salary award to the teachers. Failure to honour that award, the President is courting a political storm from teachers who are set and determined to ensure he is voted out come 2017," warned Kisii County Kuppet executive secretary, Ben Nyaundi.
Nyaundi faulted the President for taking teachers for a ride yet they were asking for a salary increase from the exchequer.
His Knut counterpart, Kisii Central branch executive secretary, Shem Nyaundi warned Deputy President William Ruto to keep off the teachers' industrial action and instead concentrate on other personal issues if he does not understand what the teachers are demanding for was important to them and the lives of Kenyan children.
"It is worrying that a leader of the Deputy President's stature can keep on shifting goal posts on the government's position on the ongoing teachers demand for the salary increase awarded to them by the industrial court. He should be reminded to differentiate between politics and real issues affecting the teachers of this country and the lives of children they teach," stated Nyaundi.