The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has dared National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale to summon Teachers Service Commission (TSC) officials over its move to transfer teachers from Wajir and Mandera counties over insecurity.
Speaking after attending the Kuppet Western Caucus conference in Busia on Sunday, Union National Chairman Omboko Milemba told Duale not to interfere with teachers' affairs.
"We commend TSC for heeding to our call to transfer the teachers from the region. Any attempts to summon TSC to Parliament will be met with strong resistance from the union members," he said.
Milemba also took issue with the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) for purporting to represent the interests of teachers.
"In law, it is only the Union which represents teachers and not KESSHA. Your interests are different. Let the Union be given space to represent teachers," he said.
He told TSC to reinstate 1,200 members who were removed from Kuppet.
"We are demanding for the return of our members so that we have a full house," he said.
On plans by TSC to employ intern teachers, Milemba said the Commission has no mandate whatsoever to employ teachers as interns but only on the permanent and pensionable basis.
"We have mandated the Secretary-General to write to TSC for an engagement within two weeks. There is a shortage of 127,000 teachers but the solution is not to hire interns," he said.
The chairman had also good news for members when he revealed that the Union has deposited Sh7 million for the purchase of a Sh60 million office for the union along Mombasa Road.
Milemba raised concerns over the failure by TSC to pay 22,000 retired teachers their pension promising to push for a Motion in Parliament to give the Commission quasi-powers to pay retired teachers and later seek a refund from the Treasury.
He said the move by the National Government to borrow 200 million Eurobond cash was putting "our children in big debt".
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