MCA donates salary to teachers

In an interesting turn of events, a Kisumu MCA has decided to donate 35 per cent of his salary to pay teachers.

In a letter to the Kisumu County Clerk, Market Ward MCA Edwin Anayo stated that the deduction should go towards meeting the 50 to 60 per cent pay increment that has thrown the education sector into disarray following the on-going teachers’ strike.

“As a Member of County Assembly of Kisumu representing Market Ward, I hereby willingly agree to donate 35% of my salary to the teachers’ kitty from today henceforth so as to enable the teachers get their pay rise.”

“I urge all other leaders to do the same so as to enable our teachers get their salary rise so that they can go back to school to give knowledge to our beloved children,” read the statement.

Anayo’s submission comes at the backdrop of a proclamation by Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba that he has filed a petition with the speaker of the National Assembly to effect a 50 per cent salary deduction on all State officers in order to reduce the wage bill.

The confusion surrounding the teachers’ salary increment took a turn for the worse when President Uhuru Kenyatta announced on Sunday that the government does not have the budget to effect the pay hike.

In a state of the nation address, President Kenyatta said for the government to effect the pay hike, it will need to increase taxes from 16 to 22 per cent which will result in high cost of leaving and slow growth.

President Kenyatta said Kenyan teachers are the third highest paid in Africa with only South Africa and Morocco earning more.

The government, through a cabinet meeting on Friday, announced the closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools due to safety concerns for children following the on-going teachers strike which entered the fourth week on Monday.

Standard 8 and Form Four candidates have however been advised to remain in school in preparations for the national exams which, the government said, will run according to schedule.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) have remained adamant that teachers will not resume duty until the salary increment is effected.