MP Elisha Odhiambo Asks Teachers to Postpone Strike

By Robert Mutasi 

Elisha Odhiambo, a member of parliament for Gem, has requested that the Kenya National Union of Teachers postpone their scheduled strike.

This comes after KNUT published a new strike notice announcing that industrial action will begin on August 26, 2024.

Speaking on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at Nyangulu Secondary School, where he was presenting a new school bus, he asked teachers to allow parliament enough time to approve a revised Finance bill that included raises for them. 

The Gem MP claims that there is currently little the government can do because the 2024 Finance Bill was rejected and the 2023 Finance Bill was dismissed by the court. 

He promised that after the bill is passed, their problems would be resolved. 

"You are aware that teachers want to go on strike, but let me remind the teachers, the finance bill that was carrying part of their money 2024 was dismissed, the President in his wisdom decided to use the Finance Bill 2023 the court equally dismissed so the Finance Bill we are using now is 2022," said MP Odhiambo. 

According to Odhiambo, the parliament will make sure that the bill's unpopular taxes are removed. 

" I want to ask my fellow teachers, let us go slowly, allow us as parliament to pass a reviewed 2024 Finance Bill and you will be paid in arrears, that is my humble request," he stated. 

He conveyed his optimism that John Mbadi, the recent Finance Cabinet Secretary, will soon submit an improved, more palatable bill. 

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) received a strike notice from KNUT announcing that industrial action will begin on August 26, 2024. 

"I am today directed to issue a strike notice that the Industrial Action is on and we as teachers of this country shall withdraw labor and the starting time is midnight of 25th of August before schools open on the 26th until this matter is resolved," stated KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu. 

KNUT accused TSC of ignoring their complaints and not taking accountability. 

" Seven days later there was neither an invitation nor reasons given by the Teacher Service Commission why the meeting had never materialized. Kenya National Union of Teachers went further and wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection on the 14th August to officially register a labor dispute between the union and the employer. 

Teachers made seceral demands, including hiring an additional 20,000 teachers and 46,000 junior secondary school teachers, promoting 130,000 teachers, paying back third-party deductions, and putting the 2021 Collective Bargain Agreement into effect.