The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has warned the government against budget cuts on teachers’ salary increases and medical cover.
The union stated that the budget statement to be issued to the National Assembly, National Treasury, and Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi must contain teachers’ salary increments and medical cover.
Mbadi is set to deliver the official Budget Day speech for the 2025/2026 Financial Year on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, KUPPET secretary general Akelo Misori said the economy has improved and there should be a pay rise.
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“We did not have a pay rise in 2023 and 2024 because there was high inflation, and the agreement that we entered with the government in 2021 was that when the situation improves, teachers will get a pay rise,” he said.
Misori stated that there should be no budget cuts targeting teachers’ medical cover, and there should be instead an enhancement, since the conditions of medical have changed and facilities charge more.
“We are not accepting a situation where there are budget cuts like last year, where the budget for medical, Ksh22.3 billion, meant for the medical cover, was slashed by half. We were compelled to go on strike on the same basis,” he said.
He said they will be forced to go on strike if the budget cuts target the teachers’ medical cover and also the employment of teachers.
KUPPET also states that the government had to employ 116,000 and that the budget should be set aside for this purpose.
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The Union is negotiating the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), aiming also to secure a salary increment for teachers.
They are pushing for a salary increment of 50 to 100 per cent across all job grades, and house allowance should also be increased by 20 per cent.
The Union also proposes a big increase in commuter allowances, ranging from 200% to 250% across job grades.
Also present during the press conference are KUPPET officials Sammy Chelanga, secretary, Tertiary, Paul Miangi, national organising secretary and Njenga Mwithi, national treasurer.
By Obegi Malack
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