The National Chair of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Omboko Milemba, has confirmed that teachers who visited State House on Saturday each received Ksh.10,000 as “transport reimbursement.”
Milemba, who is also the Emuhaya MP, told Citizen TV on Tuesday that about 10,000 teachers attended the meeting with President William Ruto, meaning State House spent roughly Ksh.100 million on reimbursements.
He defended the gathering, saying it was not simply about handouts but an opportunity to resolve pending issues in the teaching sector.
“Teachers never went to State House just for money. They were going to look at their issues. Transport reimbursement for teachers was Ksh.10,000,” he said.
According to Milemba, the discussions led to an agreement that the Ksh.33.8 billion Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which was initially scheduled for payment over four years, would now be settled within two.
He added that the freeze on employing P1 teachers was also lifted, paving the way for their recruitment in the next financial year.
But not everyone was convinced. Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba dismissed the meeting, claiming it was more about political optics than addressing teachers’ needs.
“What I saw in State House was a meeting to create the perception that the President has the support of teachers, but the critical issues were never discussed,” she said.
Wamuchomba further argued that the Executive had overstepped by making promises on budgetary matters that fall under Parliament’s authority.
“This report (CBA) was supposed to be discussed in Parliament. Budgets are allocated by the National Assembly, so when the President says they are going to review capitation, he is taking over the role of Parliament and acting like a dictator,” she charged.
She expressed disappointment, saying teachers were being “taken for a ride” and reduced to “parading at State House for a meal and a dance.”
