The Covid-19 pandemic has reignited supremacy wars between the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet).
The two unions appear to be reading from different scripts as far as teachers rights during the pandemic are concerned.
The dispute began when Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori asked the Ministry of Education to consider postponing this year’s national examinations scheduled for October and November.
However, Mr Misori’s counterpart in Knut, Mr Wilson Sossion, said the call is misguided.
Bloggers have accused Mr Sossion of being petty and using his position to fight a rival union instead of ensuring teachers’ and learners’ rights are protected.
Mr Sossion wrote to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) disapproving Kuppet’s proposal to have tutors’ loan interests during the pandemic waived.
Mr Misori had asked TSC to withhold the deductions and liaise with financial institutions on behalf of teachers.
DEDUCTIONS
On April 16, Mr Sossion wrote to TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia, accusing Kuppet of attempting to bring down teachers’ savings and credit cooperative societies (saccos).
Mr Sossion described the proposal as illegal and retrogressive. “Saccos are the economic lifelines of teachers and their dependants. If their operations are halted, the future of teachers and their families will be ruined,” the Knut boss said.
He said effecting the proposal would kill saccos and the cooperative movement in general.
The Knut boss said loan and third party deductions on teachers’ salaries should continue despite the economic challenges facing the country.
Mr Sossion added that if the Kuppet proposals are effected, saccos will not be able to process loans for teachers or conduct their day-to-day business.
Mr Sossion said Kuppet did not consult teachers before writing to the commission. In a rejoinder, Kuppet told Mr Sossion to deep off its affairs.
Mr Misori said Kuppet would continue fighting for teachers’ welfare “and we will not be intimidated by Sossion”.
TOUGH ECONOMY
He said no amount of obfuscation would make anyone to think that Kuppet is plotting to bring down teachers’ saccos.
“All he does is to imagine new ways of picking up fights with Kuppet,” Mr Misori said. “Having turned Knut into a one-man show, all Sossion does is stalk Kuppet.”
Mr Misori said he has already written to members urging them not to engage in petty differences, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Our hope was that Mr Sossion would reflect on his ways and avoid being petty and squabbling with Kuppet, if only during this pandemic. How naive I was!” he said.
The Kuppet chief added that the argument by his counterpart in Kuppet is misguided and urged teachers to unite as the country fights the global pandemic.
He said, Kuppet is not bringing down cooperative societies, adding that Mr Sossion has confused interest on loans and sacco subscriptions.
Mr Misori said workers are going through tough times to sustain themselves, their families and others.
“It is for this reason that the government has come up with new fiscal regulations to allow individuals continue running their businesses. The interventions include using the Central Bank of Kenya and the Banking Acts,” Mr Misori said.
MANAGEMENT OF SACCOS
He added that Kuppet has received many complains from teachers wondering why interest on their loans was deducted, against government directives.
“Neither the government nor Kuppet has told TSC to stop teachers’ sacco contributions. Most sacco deductions, including loan repayments, will continue,” he said.
Last week, the Cooperative Alliance of Kenya (CAK) appealed to saccos to suspend interest on members’ loans during the Covid-19 pandemic.
CAK Chief Executive Officer Daniel Marube said evaluation of the economic implications of coronavirus has found that co-op society members are worse off financially “since a majority have been sent on unpaid leave”.
The CEO also expressed concern that the management of many saccos are worried about an emerging trend, where members are applying to withdraw their savings.
