Court fails to call off teachers’ strike

The High Court has declined to issue orders sought by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) who had moved to court seeking to stop the ongoing teachers’ strike.

In her ruling, Justice Monica Mbaru said the strike was not protected under the law but refused to call it off.

Justice Mbaru directed the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) to file their responses before the case is heard on September 10^th.

TSC through their lawyer stated that the strike is a violation of the constitution and it violates the rights of children.

On Thursday, TSC termed the teachers’ strike that officially commenced Wednesday as illegal saying no notice was served to the commission per the law.

In a statement signed by TSC’s head of communications Kihumba Kamotho on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer on Wednesday, the commission said:

“Whatever reason given for the strike is still subject to an appeal in the Court of Appeal.”

The teachers’ employer said that any strike action is unprotected and will be treated as absconding duty.

“Any strike action emanating from the current circumstances is illegal and unprotected,” read the statement that warned teachers participating in the strike that they will face unspecified action.

The statement by TSC came hours after KNUT announced that the National Executive Council had voted to officially commence the strike on Wednesday despite there being no learning activities in any public school in most parts of the country.