The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) applauded the new salary increase for state officials and said it will improve their wellbeing.
While praising Kenya Kwanza’s administration for making a “smart move,” the union vowed to keep pressing for increased support from the government.
Ronald Tonui, assistant national treasurer for the Union, told the media that they had previously given the president a memorandum outlining the problems that their members were suffering in order to request an increase in the government’s budgetary allotment to meet their demands.
“We thank the president for the 7-10 per cent salary increase given to public servants including teachers,” Tonui said.
“We hope to engage in future with the president and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for a higher salary increase and adequate funding for promotion.”
The requests, according to him, include a demand for a pay raise of 48% to account for inflation and Sh3 billion for promotions.
Additionally, they demand adjustments to the housing allowance, municipal allowances in all towns, and other allowances, such as those for risk and science teachers.
Despite not receiving all of the requests, the president’s consideration of a pay raise and a promotion of Sh1 billion was appreciated, the former MP added.
President William Ruto requested that the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) postpone the proposed increase in salaries for senior state officers.
“We didn’t get all the requests but we are grateful that the president considered a salary increase and Sh1 billion for promotion,” the former MP said.
President William Ruto rejected the planned pay hike for senior state officers asking the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to hold it.
“Salaries for state officers like myself, my deputy, ministers, principal secretaries, and those other top officials, let us wait for a while please, our salaries will remain unchanged,” Ruto said.
Instead, he said that all government employees will get salary raises starting in July.
According to Akelo Misori, the secretary general of the union, they will gather this month to make a last demand for a teachers’ salary raise that was due in 2021 but has not yet been provided.
Misori claims that SRC has been blocking the Third Public Sector Remuneration and Benefits Evaluation Cycle’s evaluation of teacher salaries for the past two years on the grounds that the government cannot afford to increase employee pay.
