Teacher sellouts? Cozy ties with State leaves union chiefs battling revolt

They have been the faces of the teachers’ union for several years, watching and participating in the rapid decline of teachers’ welfare and unresolved teething problems in the education sector as they engage with the government.

But as teachers continue to suffer, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Collins Oyuu and his Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) counterpart Akello Misori are accused of enjoying state comfort while rallying teachers to support President William Ruto’s re-election.

Barely seven months ago, the duo led about 10,000 teachers to the State House for a meeting with the President, an event critics claim was more of a political rally than an avenue to address teachers’ concerns.

Their unions are now facing growing questions over whether they have truly defended teachers or simply managed their frustrations, even as both incumbents were re-elected in the recently concluded union polls.

On Saturday, Kuppet warned it would paralyse the reopening of schools over a string of grievances, from the troubled medical cover under the Social Health Authority (SHA), to delayed promotions and unpaid examiner dues.

Growing tension

However, beneath the tough talk, unease is building among teachers, many of whom say these are not new problems and that the union has had years to act.

Among the most thorny issues is the Career Progression Guidelines introduced by the Teachers Service Commission (TSA) in 2017.

Nearly a decade later, the system remains one of the most divisive policies in the sector and partly contributed to the ouster of former Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion.

The policy has been blamed for causing career stagnation, with teachers stuck in the same job group for as long as 10 years.

Teachers say the guidelines replaced a clearer promotion structure known as schemes of service, with a rigid system that has left thousands stuck in the same job group for years.

Some have remained in job group C3 for over a decade despite upgrading their qualifications.

Others argue they were effectively downgraded when the new system came into force, with deputies and senior teachers placed in lower grades than expected.

Both Kuppet and Knut have, since 2023, promised to address the issue of stagnation.

While signing the 2025–2029 CBA, both unions assured teachers that a review of the guidelines had been agreed upon with the TSC.

More than a year later, nothing has changed. The guidelines are still in force, promotions remain slow, and the technical committee promised in 2023 has yet to produce any tangible outcome.

Promotion guidelines

A similar commitment was made in August 2023 during the signing of the monetary aspect of the 2021–2025 CBA, when Knut, Kuppet and TSC announced a joint technical team to review promotion guidelines. Its findings were never published.

Frustration has also grown over teachers’ medical cover under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

While addressing the media after the elections, Kuppet Secretary General highlighted major concerns surrounding the cover introduced in December 2025.

The scheme, championed by President Ruto, is facing complaints of delays in hospital admissions, incomplete system integration, and cases where teachers are turned away from private facilities.

Similarly, outpatient cover is said to be capped at Sh1,200 per visit, barely enough beyond consultation.

In March, the union raised alarm over teachers being detained in hospitals over unpaid bills, but a meeting with Health CS Aden Duale yielded little immediate relief beyond administrative assurances.

However, challenges surrounding teachers’ medical cover have been ongoing for well over a decade.

Under the previous scheme run by Minet Kenya, teachers faced co-payments, limited hospital access, and long delays in approvals. When the cover expired in November, unions backed the shift to SHA after talks with TSC, following a promise by William Ruto to improve the scheme.

Junior secondary school teachers are also still stuck in uncertainty.

For three years, the question of whether they belong in primary or secondary school has dragged on. While unions have been vocal about the need for clarity, much of the energy has gone into rivalry over membership between Kuppet and Knut, rather than resolving structural issues affecting teachers and learners.

These issues persist even as union leaders secure fresh terms in office, extending their tenure at a time when teachers say little has changed on the ground.

Despite criticism, the unions maintain they are pursuing solutions and have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government.

“First thing that we have to do is to tell the government that teachers are not happy because of the following issues… and if they are not addressed within the next seven days, teachers may not open schools,” said Kuppet national chairman Omboko Milemba.

On delayed pay agreements, Milemba added: “We had a promissory note from the President that this CBA would be paid in two phases… but we have not seen the money reflected in budgets.”

On junior school reforms, Secretary General Akello Misori defended the union’s position.

Teachers, however, argue that union leadership has failed them, viewing repeated strike threats as political manoeuvring rather than genuine advocacy. “They are just issuing threats to please some teachers, but they have failed us,” said a teacher from Kisumu.

For many analysts, this perceived closeness between union leadership and government risks weakening Knut’s core mandate of defending teachers’ interests.

Political analyst Barack Muluka offers a particularly critical view.

“I think unions in this country, not just Knut, have been rendered very ineffective,” he said.

He argues that weakening of trade unions is systemic, pointing to the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu), which he says has contributed to reduced resistance across labour movements.

“Cotu signals to other unions, both affiliated and non-affiliated. You can elect very good leaders, but nothing much changes. Cotu is supposed to support other unions, but that strength is no longer felt,” he said.

Unresolved issues

His remarks reflect growing frustration among teachers over unresolved issues, particularly healthcare, promotions, and pay.

“We have seen what has happened to the medical scheme. Teachers continue to suffer. On promotions and salary agreements, I don’t think isolated action will solve it,” he added.

Muluka placed the situation within a wider governance context. “Kenya is signalled from State House. When the State House defies court orders, others follow. We are living in an age of impunity,” he said.

He also compared Oyuu’s tenure with previous Knut leadership, describing the current period as a low point. “From David Mulindi to Adongo Dea, to Francis Ng’ang’a, to Wilson Sossion, this is the lowest moment for teachers’ fortunes,” he said.

Communication strategist Mark Bichachi, however, sees a more pragmatic approach. “Trade unions and politics are intertwined—as instruments of opposition or government,” he said. “If he aligns with the government, he gains access and can negotiate better. Whether this works depends on the results,” he added.

He noted economic constraints, saying major improvements may be limited by fiscal realities.

He also pointed to broader labour market trends, including declining union influence and rising contract-based employment.

However, analyst Charles Nyambuga warned of a more serious consequence. “I see a bleak future for teachers where their issues are no longer central,” he said.

He criticised Knut’s posture as contradictory. “A union cannot sing the tune of government. It exists to defend workers. If it aligns too closely with the employer, it becomes questionable,” he said.

Teachers continue to face unresolved challenges: delayed CBA implementation, weak medical cover, shortage of teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and stalled promotions.

At Knut’s re-election event at Tom Mboya Labour College earlier this month, Oyuu acknowledged that several issues remain unresolved and emphasised the need for a fair and transparent promotion system.