KNUT officials in Nandi County have condemned the Kenya Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for transferring Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) to the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), accusing the move of undermining the larger teachers' union. The protest, led by regional secretaries Josphat Serem (Nandi North) and Stephen Misoi (Nandi South), highlights concerns that the transfers—without prior consultation—target long-serving KNUT members who contributed to the union’s growth. Serem stated the affected teachers had “served this union diligently since its inception,” questioning why they were relocated to KUPPET without consent. Misoi added that the transfers risk eroding KNUT’s membership base, which he described as critical to its role in advocating for teachers’ rights and securing benefits for educators nationwide.
The dispute centers on the TSC’s alleged unilateral decisions, with KNUT leaders arguing that union membership should remain voluntary. Serem emphasized that the transfers “are using another union to weaken KNUT,” while Misoi noted that over 10,000 teachers had been moved nationally, raising fears of diminished collective bargaining power. Boniface Tenai, KNUT secretary for Tindiret and Nandi East, criticized the rationale for the transfers, stating that JSS deployment does not justify removing teachers from KNUT. He called on the Ministry of Education to intervene, accusing TSC of “meddling in the affairs of unions.” Tenai pledged that KNUT would pursue the matter aggressively, vowing to “take any necessary action to ensure this issue is resolved.”
KNUT officials underscored the broader implications of the transfers, warning that weakening the union could jeopardize the rights and benefits currently enjoyed by teachers. Misoi highlighted KNUT’s historical role in securing “various benefits” for educators, arguing that a weakened membership base would hinder its ability to represent members effectively. The union’s regional leaders also pointed to the ongoing debate over appropriate union representation for JSS teachers, following the restructuring of the education system. While the TSC has not publicly addressed the allegations, KNUT’s regional branches await guidance from the national office on next steps, as the conflict intensifies. The union’s stance reflects a broader tension between institutional restructuring and the preservation of teacher solidarity in Kenya’s education sector.
The controversy has sparked internal concerns within KNUT, with officials expressing frustration over the lack of transparency in the transfer process. Serem and Misoi emphasized that the affected teachers were not only loyal members but also key figures in the union’s development. Tenai reiterated that the move “is not a reason to remove them from KNUT,” stressing that academic qualifications and service history should not disqualify educators from union membership. As the dispute unfolds, KNUT’s leadership has called for immediate dialogue with TSC to address the issue, while advocating for policies that respect teachers’ organizational choices. The outcome of this conflict could set a precedent for how teacher unions navigate structural changes in Kenya’s education system, with significant ramifications for labor rights and institutional accountability.