KNUT Eldoret East branch secretary general Sammy Bor. [Photo/Elvanis Ronoh]
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has expressed its opposition on a directive by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) requiring teachers who will be selected as IEBC returning officers in the October 17 presidential elections to obtain prior written permission.
KNUT Eldoret East branch secretary general Sammy Bor says TSC has no business being involved in the personal contracts between teachers and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
"This is an engagement between a teacher and IEBC and the bureaucratic process of TSC requiring teachers to get letters from them doesn't make sense to me," noted Sammy Bor in Eldoret town, Thursday.
"Let TSC allow teachers to do this work with IEBC then once they finish the go back and continue with their work," he added.
Bor however challenged teachers across the country to take up those positions at IEBC and participate in the elections.
"This is a national duty and we want to encourage teachers to participate in those responsibilities since it has been the norm that over 60% of the presiding officers have always been from the teaching fraternity," said the KNUT Secretary general.
TSC in a circular dated September 7 and addressed to school heads and directors of educations said teachers who will be selected by IEBC for Presidential elections must obtain prior written permission that will be issued by county directors.