In Moi’s footsteps: Ruto’s bag of goodies to win over teachers ahead of 2027 polls
Presidential incumbents have often had to compromise with teachers’ unions or sometimes bulldoze them to abandon their quest for better remuneration and other welfare issues especially around election time. The most memorable of such manouvres happened in October 1997 when then-President Moi tricked – some say pressurised – Ambrose Adongo, the fiery Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), to abandon a strike that was 12 days old in return for a mouth-watering pay hike of 150-200 per cent.
Teachers have long been considered influential political operatives in the village, the reason why politicians, including those eyeing the presidency, always go out of their way to court them.
This has been especially so for incumbents who often have to compromise with teachers’ unions or sometimes bulldoze them to abandon their quest for better remuneration and other welfare issues especially around election time.
The most memorable of such manouvres happened in October 1997 when then-President Moi tricked – some say pressurised – Ambrose Adongo, the fiery Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), to abandon a strike that was 12 days old in return for a mouth-watering pay hike of 150-200 per cent.
The political deal came two months to the elections and Moi did not want the revolt to diminish his chances of re-election.
He was to abandon it after securing victory and it was only until the late third President Mwai Kibaki became president five years later that implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) but after another struggle.
Ahead of next year’s elections, President William Ruto appears to be borrowing from Moi’s playbook as engages in a charm offensive seen as an effort to woo teachers to back his re-election.
During this year’s World Teachers Day celebrations at the Kasarani Stadium earlier this week, he followed up on promises made to teachers at State House Nairobi to the delight of teachers and their unions.
For instance, he assured them that the Career Progression Guidelines, which had been stuck at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) due to lack of funding, will be implemented soon.
He further directed the promotion of 50,000 teachers up from 34,016, saying TSC’s budget has been doubled to Sh2 billion to actualise it. This will be the largest teacher promotion exercise implemented in a single year in the country’s history.
In addition, Ruto said the government will employ an additional 20, 000 teachers by December to add to the 100,000 hired since he came to power in 2022.
At the same time, Ruto cited improvement of teachers’ insurance coverage under the Social Health Authority (SHA), introduction of a new system that will see their pensions paid within one week and reservation of 20 per cent of affordable homes for the educator, which will be financed through payroll deductions, as other gains they have secured under his administration.
However, not everyone was impressed by the President’s goodies to teachers.
People’s Party of Kenya (PPK) party leader who also doubles as the Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro, for instance, questioned why their salaries should be deduct to finance the home ownership plan yet they pay the housing levy.
“William Ruto, Kenyan teachers are asking you a simple question. You are deducting money from them for the housing levy, yet they are not getting that money, and they do not have houses,” the People’s Party of Kenya (PPK) leader said during a rally in Igembe North.
