Isiolo teachers take to the streets after murder of colleague

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Learning across public schools in Isiolo town and its environs was on Friday paralysed as teachers from both Primary and Secondary Schools thronged the streets protesting the killing of a colleague.

The teachers said the late Gatobu Mwirigi was shot and stabbed by suspected bandits while on his way home from School on Wednesday evening.

Until his killing, the deceased served as the Deputy Principal at Leparua Mixed Day Secondary School and was riding his motorbike back home when he was cornered by a group of bandits who had just engaged security officers in a fierce fire exchange at LMD area in Burat ward, as they attempted to take back a herd of cows that the officers had recovered in the ongoing security operation in the region.

Led by the Executive Secretary, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Isiolo branch Moses Kimwere and the Chairman of Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Timothy Kimathi, the teachers argued that their safety was not negotiable, and that their members who have been deployed in areas that they identified as very prone to Insecurity will not report back to the schools until their safety was guaranteed.

Kimwere mentioned Leparua, Ntalabany, Oldonyiro, Kipsing, Akadeli, Kambi ya Juu, Emejen, Kilimani, Victoria, Aremiet, Kiwanja and Ngaremara as the areas where teachers will not resume under the prevailing circumstances.

He asked parents who have children in the mentioned schools to withdraw them from school indefinitely, arguing that the teachers will not turn up at the institutions until a time when they are convinced that the government has guaranteed their safety.

"We are demanding swift evacuation of all teachers in the insecurity-prone areas, and until our security is assured, the government must know whether to close schools in those areas," said Kimwere, adding, “How could those attacks kill an unarmed teacher whose only weapon is a chalk? Do those people really think about the future of their children when they kill the people who can change their society?”

His sentiments were echoed by Kimathi, who argued that this was not the first time that a teacher had lost their life as a result of the insecure situation in Isiolo.

Kimathi said some female teachers in Oldonyiro location were also sexually assaulted a few years ago, situations that clearly indicate that the safety of teachers in those areas is not assured.

 "We cannot compromise in matters concerning the safety of our teachers.  In 2013, a teacher was killed in Olndonyiro Sub-county, and recently, two teachers narrowly escaped death, but Gatobu was not lucky,” said Kimathi.

He further hinted that non-local teachers in the mentioned areas could be targeted by bandits if they are suspected of volunteering information to security enforcement agencies, such as where stolen livestock from the neighbouring county of Meru is hidden.

While addressing the protesting teachers who marched from Isiolo Town to the TSC County office, the County Teachers’ Service Commission Director, Muma Arbelle, condemned the killing, terming the incident as ‘disturbing and very unfortunate’. 

Arbelle said he had had conversations with the County Commissioner and the County Police Chiefs over the security situation for teachers working in the regions where a security operation is currently ongoing.

"I can only urge the security leaders to intervene in this situation, but I am a teacher like you, and I understand how you feel. I hope they will take action sooner," said Arbelle.

 He urged the grieving teachers to report to their designated work stations once they are done with the peaceful protests, noting that the safety of those working in volatile areas will be addressed with urgency.