Striking teachers have received an anticipated support from their retired counterparts who accused Jubilee government of dictatorship on handling the pay rise saga that has led to closure of public schools for over a month now.
Speaking at Mogusii region in Nyamira County on Friday, the retired teacher led by Chairman Peter Ogembo accused the government of handling teachers' strike casually and vowed to support their counterparts until the pay rise is effected.
They announced a planned demonstration across Nyamira County to compel the government to address their demands.
“The government is playing hide and seek game with teachers and as retired teachers, we condemn the casual treatment with strongest terms possible. We will soon hold demonstrations across the country to have the teaching profession respected. It is improper to handle teachers with dictatorship,” Ogembo said.
They predicted tough times for the ruling coalition if its leadership continued handling legal industrial actions unlawfully.
“Honestly, I see the President having tough times with his team in 2017 elections. What the government fails to understand is that we are voters and we make decisions in the ballot. The Jubilee government is acting in a total disregard of the law and soon people will get tired with its autocracy,” added Ogembo.
The Teachers Service Commission and Kenya National Union of Teachers have been engaging in legal battles for over a month after the government declined to comply with a court order that directed it to pay teachers a pay rise of between 50-60 per cent.