In a bold display of defiance, teachers in Bungoma County have vowed to continue their strike until their demands are met, staging a dramatic protest that saw them march through the streets carrying a casket and conducting a symbolic “mock” burial of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO.
Led by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Bungoma branch secretary, Augustine Kundu Luketelo, the striking teachers made it clear that they are prepared for a prolonged standoff. Luketelo emphasized that key issues such as the confirmation of 46,000 intern teachers and the promotion of 130,000 others must be addressed before any resolution can be reached.
The striking educators also criticized the government’s refusal to deduct union dues from their payslips, calling the move archaic and insisting it would not deter them from fighting for their rights. Despite having received their August salaries, Luketelo urged teachers to continue the strike and encouraged their colleagues in primary schools to join the cause, accusing their union of neglecting them.
The protest caused significant disruption in Bungoma town, with traffic coming to a standstill as teachers stormed the TSC offices and buried the casket in a powerful symbol of their dissatisfaction. Luketelo also accused President Ruto of reneging on his promise to confirm the intern teachers by July, further fueling the teachers’ resolve to remain on strike.
As the strike intensifies, all eyes are on the government and the TSC to see how they will respond to the teachers’ escalating demands.
