A city based lawyer Steve Mogaka has poked holes in a deal between the Teachers Service Commission and tutors terming it suspicious.
Mogaka said the deal could not be trusted to avert teachers’ industrial action in future.
The lawyer who was addressing residents in Nyamira, said he will use legal means to initiate a referendum to call for increment of teachers’ salaries.
“I don’t think boardroom deals can ever solve the problems Kenyan teachers undergo. For instance, I hear that they reached a deal but I am sure it’s suspicious and cannot help us to combat strikes in future,” he said.
“My intention is that I try to initiate a popular initiative through a referendum that will pronounce the minimal and maximum amount of money a teacher can earn. When it is constitutional, then we will see no more strikes,” he added.
Asked whether the referendum would elicit complaints from other public servants, Mogaka defended his approach, insisting that he will also try to incorporate other civil servants and work closely with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to determine acceptable salaries across the board.
“I know that if the plebiscite is all about teachers, then we are likely to hear complaints from other public servants. It’s not a big issue because I can meet with key stakeholders and see how possible to in cooperate other sectors. We don’t want to hear workers going for strikes over pay,” he said.