Teachers in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) counties have been hit hardest by a recent reallocation of promotions by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), with data showing sharp declines in promotion slots across nine marginalised counties.
According to the TSC’s status report to Parliament yesterday, a total of 1,864 promotions were withdrawn after a review found that the teachers did not meet the three-year experience threshold.
While TSC claims it redistributed these slots based on fairness and eligibility, a closer look reveals an unequal shift.
ASAL counties lost a cumulative 1,464 promotion slots, with Lamu, Isiolo, and Marsabit suffering the most significant cuts at -204, -196, and -185, respectively. Meanwhile, 12 more developed counties gained a combined 878 promotion slots, including Kakamega (+91), Kitui (+81), and Machakos (+82).
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This comes despite many ASAL teachers having acted as principals or deputies for over seven years — a situation the TSC had initially said it would address by waiving the three-year rule to fill vacancies.
“The waiver was supposed to help ASAL teachers, but instead, it led to their exclusion,” said Janet Muthoni of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers.
The redistribution was meant to prioritise teachers with long service and nearing retirement. However, the outcome appears to have favoured more urban and accessible regions.
This is how some counties were affected by the changes.
| County | Old | New | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machakos | 690 | 762 | +72 |
| Meru | 678 | 751 | +73 |
| Kakamega | 651 | 748 | +97 |
| Makueni | 668 | 742 | +74 |
| Nakuru | 665 | 741 | +76 |
| Kiambu | 649 | 719 | +70 |
| Kitui | 634 | 715 | +81 |
| Murang’a | 648 | 704 | +56 |
| Kisii | 625 | 703 | +78 |
| Baringo | 643 | 682 | +39 |
| Kisumu | 620 | 678 | +58 |
| Siaya | 551 | 595 | +44 |
| Total Gain | +878 |
ASAL Counties
| County | Old | New | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garissa | 343 | 139 | -204 |
| Lamu | 398 | 194 | -204 |
| Mandera | 388 | 197 | -191 |
| Wajir | 341 | 214 | -127 |
| Isiolo | 429 | 233 | -196 |
| Tana River | 405 | 235 | -170 |
| Marsabit | 431 | 246 | -185 |
| Samburu | 406 | 248 | -158 |
| Turkana | 406 | 338 | -68 |
| Total Loss | -1,464 |
“We are being told to keep acting, keep waiting, and keep watching as others are promoted,” said a teacher from ASAL areas.
Lawmakers from affected counties have decried the move as discriminatory.
TSC has promised to implement more straightforward guidelines and uphold fairness in future promotions. But for teachers in ASAL counties, the damage is already done.
By Joseph Mambili
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