Be mindful of economy and resume work, Ruto tells teachers

Deputy President William Ruto has asked teachers to respect the Teachers Service commission (TSC) and resume duty.

Speaking at St Mathews Mung’ang’a Anglican Church of Kenya, Mumias Diocese, Ruto said that the government is guided by the Constitution and there is need for teachers to adhere to recommendations by TSC and go back to work.

He said the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) are charged with the responsibility of ensuring the welfare of teachers and other civil servants and their judgement should be trusted.

“TSC and SRC are independent bodies which have spoken on the issue of salaries and teachers should respect such decisions,” said William Ruto.

“Teachers demanded that a commission to oversee their issues be created in the Constitution and TSC was established. Now TSC has said it has no money to increase their salaries and we wonder why they are dismissing it,” he added.

Ruto appealed to teachers to be mindful of the country’s current economic situation saying SRC has warned that the soaring wage bill was undermining development efforts in the country and something must be done to correct the situation.

DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS

“As a country we should also ensure that recurrent expenditure should not undermine development efforts in the country,” added Mr Ruto.

The deputy president said that the ongoing evaluation being carried out by SRC is aimed at ensuring public officers are paid for what they do.

He further reiterated government’s commitment to ensure the revival of Mumias Sugar Company and improvement of lives of sugarcane farmers in the western region among other areas.

MPs Emmanuel Wangwe (Navokholo), Malulu Injendi (Malava), Ben Washiali (Mumias East) and Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani) said they would continue to support the government in implementing its development agenda for all Kenyans.

The impasse between TSC and teachers, through Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) will enter the third week on Monday with no solution on sight.

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s remarks on Friday that the government will not effect the teachers’ salary increment threw into disarray the little hope that teachers had in resolving the standoff.

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday rule on the matter after TSC filed a petition seeking revocation of an earlier ruling by the same court calling for a stay on Court of Appeal and Employment and Labour Relations Court to increase teachers’ salaries by 50 to 60 per cent.