Teachers rally behind Kanu candidate in Kericho mini-poll to protest Jubilee 'mistreatment'

What you need to know:

  • The teachers are unhappy with the Jubilee government, accusing it of declining to implement an earlier court order to increase their salaries by between 50-60 per cent.
  • But speaking at a different venue while campaigning for Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) candidate Aaron Cheruiyot, Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki, his deputy Kipchumba Murkomen and Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter urged voters to shun Kanu during the Monday mini-poll saying it was not fully in government.
  • Mr Keter, who is the former Senator, urged voters to support Mr Cheruiyot as a way of appreciating the Jubilee government for appointing him to his current cabinet post, adding that there were a lot of benefits to be achieved for being in government.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion on Wednesday rallied teachers to support Kanu candidate Paul Sang even as Jubilee politicians insisted that the independence party was in the Opposition.

The teachers are unhappy with the Jubilee administration, accusing it of declining to implement an earlier court order to increase their salaries by 50-60 per cent.

Mr Sossion said teachers would vote for Mr Sang to show their discontent with the Jubilee administration.

Mr Sossion spoke at Kericho Teachers Training College, where Mr Sang met thousands of teachers.

“Teachers have decided to stand by Mr Sang because he is one of us. I have personally come here to rally teachers behind the Kanu candidate because we must win this Kericho Senate seat. I believe that if he wins, teachers will get our salary demands of 50-60 per cent pay rise,” said Mr Sossion.

But speaking at a different venue while campaigning for Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) candidate Aaron Cheruiyot, Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki, his deputy Kipchumba Murkomen and Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter urged voters to shun Kanu during the Monday mini-poll, saying it was not fully in government.

The trio, accompanied by Mr Cheruiyot, toured Itoik, Kusumek, Kabusienduk, Kebeneti Centre, Kapsomboch and Borborwet, among other areas, and urged Kericho residents to stay in government by backing Mr Cheruiyot.

Speaking at the Borborwet grounds in Belgut constituency, Prof Kindiki noted that a vote for Mr Cheruiyot would prove that the South Rift was standing behind Deputy President William Ruto in his quest for the presidency in 2022.

The Tharaka-Nithi Senator said the DP had suffered a lot following the cases he is facing at the International Criminal Court (ICC), and alluded that an election loss in the Kericho Senate by-election would be a huge but unnecessary blow to him.

“Mr Keter and I have been fighting the ICC case for a long time and God has helped us and it is crumbling. Let us now support the DP and do not allow anyone to mislead you into voting for the opposition parties. We are confident that the people of Kericho will make the right choice,” said Prof Kindiki.

Mr Keter, the former Kericho Senator, urged voters to support Mr Cheruiyot as a way of appreciating the Jubilee administration for appointing him to his current Cabinet post, adding that there were a lot of benefits to be achieved from being in government.

Uasin Gishu Senator Isaac Melly lauded Kericho residents for backing Mr Cheruiyot in the JAP nominations, noting that the Senate required young, energetic people despite a general belief that the Senate was for the elderly politicians.

But while pitching for Kanu, Mr Sossion accused the Jubilee government of harassing teachers.

He asked teachers to use their numerical strength and their influence at the grassroots to remind the government that they are a force to reckon with.

“We are telling the government that it must correct the wrong things it has done before the next election,” added Mr Sossion.

A separate campaign team led by rebellious Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, and URP MPs Oscar Sudi (Kapseret) and Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills) as well as former Kipkelion MP Magerer Langat also traversed the county in a series of rallies to drum up support for Mr Sang.

Mr Sudi warned that Jubilee risks collapsing if it does not fulfill the various development pledges it made ahead of the 2013 General Elections.