Homa Bay Teachers Threaten to Demonstrate, Disapprove Plans to Deduct Salaries

Homa Bay, Tuesday, May 16, 2023,

KNA by Sitna Omar

More than 3500 teachers in Homa Bay have threatened to down their tools should the government proceed to deduct 3 percent affordable housing levy from their pay.

Led by the Homa Bay Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) branch Chair Jack Okoth, the teachers expressed their dissatisfaction in the ongoing plans by the government to deduct a portion of their salaries from their pay slip.

They threatened to go to the streets to protest what they termed as ‘harassment’ to the teachers adding that they are already overburdened with more than 52 per cent as tax.

“Any other levy will further strangulate them and so we will not allow this to happen. If the government proceeds then all teachers in the country will be forced to go to the streets and demonstrate this unfairness,” Okoth said.

He noted that it was unfair to frustrate teachers and that the union will not tolerate any more injustice.

KUPPET Executive Secretary Stephen Yogo on the other hand echoed that teachers are tired and that they are not ready for any further taxation.

“The government is deducting almost 53 per cent from the teachers' salaries and we have not complained. They have come back again with 3 per cent as housing levy and we are now saying no,” he said.

He stated that the priority of teachers lies in money and food on the table, not in housing.

“Food prices have shot up. We want to say that the government can continue with its affordable housing scheme plan but let it find other sources to generate the funds from,” he reiterated.

He stressed that as teachers they strongly refuse to be used adding that teachers are not slaves.

Courtesy; K.N.A