The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has expressed strong opposition to the government’s proposed review of 44 hardship zones, which would result in a reduction of hardship allowances for teachers.
The union criticized the recent announcement by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi regarding the removal of certain hardship areas, labeling it an overreach. They emphasized that there was no public consultation or engagement with the teachers who would be negatively impacted by this decision.
KUPPET described the government’s actions as “unilateral and illegal,” warning that they would pursue legal action if the proposal is enacted. They asserted that the hardship allowances are hard-earned benefits secured through a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
“Legally, the current hardship allowances for teachers cannot be altered by executive order,” stated KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori during a press conference on Wednesday.
“The allowances are protected by Legal Notices No. 534 of 1998, No. 196 of 2015, and collective bargaining agreements negotiated with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). A Minister cannot revoke a benefit that they did not originally grant.”
KUPPET also challenged Mudavadi’s assertion that reducing hardship allowances would save the government Ksh. 6 billion annually, stating that this claim is based on an unpublished report from the Inter-Agency Technical Committee under the Ministry of Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management.
Misori called for the immediate release of this report, insisting it should undergo public review before any policy changes are implemented.
“We urge Mudavadi to make the report public and allow stakeholders to examine it before rushing into policy decisions,” Misori stated.
According to the KUPPET Secretary General, any changes to hardship zones must adhere to established legal and statistical criteria set by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), which include factors such as access to water, food, social services, climate, security, and poverty levels.
The union also pointed out that some areas have seen deteriorating conditions and should be added to the hardship list instead.
“The National Assembly, after considering public petitions, has recommended that new regions, including Chepalungu, Chonyi, Nyatike West, Nyatike North, Nyatike South, and Rachuonyo North Sub-Counties in Bomet, Kilifi, and Migori counties, respectively, be designated as hardship areas,” Misori noted.
