A recent investigation by a local media house has laid bare a multi-million shilling payroll scheme within the Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA), drawing in top officials, their relatives, and key state institutions.
The investigation shows that more than 150,000 female teachers across the country have been subjected to a compulsory deduction of Ksh 200 every month from their salaries.
The deductions, done through the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) payroll, generate close to Ksh 30 million monthly and about Ksh 228 million annually from an estimated 95,000 members alone.
Records reveal that many teachers were enrolled into KEWOTA without consent, with their payslips reflecting deductions they never approved. Attempts by some to opt out have been blocked, locking them into a system they cannot exit.
At the centre of the operation sits KEWOTA’s top leadership, where internal documents point to an entrenched network of closely related family members occupying a range of well-remunerated positions across the organisation, with CEO Benta Opande shown to have placed four of her children on the payroll, two drawing monthly salaries of about Ksh 200,000 each while the other two earn up to Ksh 250,000.
The pattern extends beyond her immediate household.
Records indicate that her former husband is engaged as a consultant earning roughly Ksh 100,000 per month, while her sister and niece are attached to the Kisumu office in roles that bring in about Ksh 50,000 and Ksh 40,000 respectively.
Her brother is also listed within the senior management structure as managing director, with a monthly pay of around Ksh 40,000.
A similar structure appears within the office of Treasurer Jacinta Ndegwa, where documentation reviewed suggests that several of her relatives are spread across different departments, each drawing salaries tied to their respective roles.
Ndegwa herself earns a monthly salary of Ksh 270,000, with further payments understood to be channelled through multiple accounts, adding another layer of complexity to the organisation’s financial trail.
The investigation further shows that some KEWOTA branches exist only on paper.
These “ghost offices” are used to channel funds to insiders.
In one case, 71 fake names were created during a membership drive, each allocated Ksh 12,000.
Teachers listed in the records confirmed they neither attended such events nor received any money.
Cash withdrawals also form a key part of the scheme, with funds deducted from teachers first sent to a government-linked account before being withdrawn in large amounts under unclear circumstances.
The probe also exposes direct links with senior officials.
Money is reportedly delivered in cash and through mobile transfers to maintain access to payroll data and sustain the deductions.
There are also records of payments aimed at resolving tax issues quietly.
At the same time, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is pursuing a case linked to money laundering involving the association’s leadership.
When confronted, the CEO dismissed the findings and claimed she is the target of a disgruntled former employee.
For thousands of teachers, the revelations confirm long-held complaints about unexplained deductions and lack of accountability.
What emerges is a tightly controlled operation where public funds collected from teachers are redirected to a small circle of insiders.
The scandal now puts KEWOTA and its links with TSC under intense public focus, as pressure builds for action and full accountability over the use of teachers’ money.
Below is the full investigative report by KTN News, which lays out in detail the structure, actors, and financial flows behind the KEWOTA payroll scheme.
