John Matiang'i, the brother to Interior CS Fred Matiang'i pleaded with President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and end the crisis facing Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).
John, who serves as the National Treasurer at KNUT, lamented that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) was frustrating KNUT and forcing teachers to quit the union.
The education stakeholder spoke in Kisii on Tuesday, January 12, after the election of KNUT regional officials.
Matinag'i's brother said that KNUT was meant to last forever and protect the interests of teachers.
"A lamb without a shepherd is prey for wild animals. Even we teachers are vulnerable to being eaten by our attackers.
"We are asking and pleading with President Uhuru Kenyatta, our head of state and father to save us from this plight," he stated.
John further said that the morale of teachers is low as they have been threatened, fought and their efforts thwarted by the TSC.
TSC has witnessed a mass exit if teachers over tussles with TSC ranging from salaries, promotions and Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA).
The union's income has also plummeted from Ksh 144 million to Ksh 15 million.
On Sunday, January 10, KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion threatened to order teachers against supporting the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) if the government didn't stop TSC from meddling with the union.
"When you intimidate teachers, will they perform well? Even this thing called Competency-Based-Curriculum (CBC), are teachers really understanding and delivering as it should be?" he posed.
African Union High Representative Raila Odinga also called on the government to listen to the concerns raised by KNUT. Raila warned that Kenyans would shoulder the burden if KNUT collapses.
