The outgoing KESSHA National Chairman Kahi Indimuli has revealed how the relationship with his employer the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) sometimes hit the rocks during his tenure, but nevertheless remained cordial despite the occasional upheavals.
In a humourous tone that lightened up the mood of the otherwise serious proceedings of the Kakamega KESSHA Conference at Legacy Hotel in Nakuru City, Indimuli narrated how at one point his meeting clashed with that of TSC CEO Dr Nancy Macharia.
“You people mumejifanya wajuaji, employer anaita meeting, na nyinyi muko hapo!” (roughly translated: “You people have become clever. You have decided to arrange a meeting in the venue of your employer’s own meeting?”) Indimuli recalled one such incident.
As a punishment for his misdemeanor, the CEO went ahead and slashed some of the dues from all 10,000 principals in Kenya.
Upon enquiry from protocol officers from his office, he was informed that there had been a miscommunication that resulted in the hitch. The invitation letter from TSC was delivered and they sent it to him via Whatsapp, but the officials erroneously did not call him for confirmation.
“After some days the CEO called me and told me to explain why I did not attend the TSC consultative meeting and I humbly told her that I did not receive the invitation letter on time,” said Indimuli, advising that KESSHA leadership should always cooperate with their bosses.
At some other time he was summoned by senior officers in the Ministry of Education (MoE) for calling a press conference to demand the release of capitation.
“I was in a meeting well attended by KESSHA members, and I urged the government to disburse capitation funds to secondary schools because principals did not have money to run activities. After a few hours I received a call from senior MoE officers who demanded an explanation of what I was telling the media,” said Indimuli to uproarious laughter.
Indimuli said he was warned that the government can dissolve KESSHA if they continue demanding for capitation through media conferences.
“What is it that you are trying to show us? Do you know we can dissolve KESSHA right now?” the question was posed by a clearly irked officer.
He advised the new KESSHA National Chair who will be elected in August this year during the national conference to work in harmony with both TSC and MoE, but not to forget to professionally spearhead KESSHA to fulfil its objectives.
“As a KESSHA National Chair you should know how to work with MoE and TSC, but ensure you are efficient, transparent and operate at a high integrity level,” he advised, noting that there are challenges peculiar to specific counties, especially the ASAL regions.
Indimuli retired last year as KESSHA National Chairman. He was replaced by Willy Kuria, Chief Principal of Murang’a High School, in an acting capacity. Whether he will be confirmed during the August elections is a question of time.
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By Peter Otuoro
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