Teachers outraged by Kenya MPs’ hefty pay rise

The hefty pay increase MPs awarded themselves has angered teachers, who accused the legislators of sabotaging the economy.

“They are insincere and selfish and put their interests above those of other Kenyans,” the chairman of the Rift Valley Primary School Heads’ Association, Mr Philip Mitei, said.

“It is outrageous and utter selfishness for the MPs to award themselves higher salaries when other sectors are in crisis,” he said.

In a flash

“It is disheartening when MPs pass in a flash laws granting them huge allowances when teachers are looking up to them to remove us from our mess of staff shortage and meagre remuneration,” Mr Mitei said.

In a related development, the Kenya National Union of Teachers has vowed that it will mobilise teachers to vote out all sitting members of Parliament in the next General Election.

The union’s Eldoret branch executive secretary, Mr Sammy Bor, said the MPs no longer had the moral authority to represent Kenyans.

“We will ensure that they do not recapture their seats as they seem to have put their country aside to champion their own interests,” he said.

The two officials were speaking in Nakuru at a conference for primary school heads.

But speaking at the same function, Subukia MP Nelson Gaichuhie defended his colleagues, saying they were following the recommendations of a presidential task force that reviewed their salaries.

“We should not be blamed unfairly as this is the work of a tribunal,” he said.