Kinyua Mwangi, a teacher in Marmanet High School in Laikipia County and co-founder of the Kenya National Teachers Pressure Group (KNTPG), has declared his bid for the KUPPET Executive Secretary seat in Laikipia. His move brings a long-running battle with mainstream unions directly into KUPPET’s leadership arena, where he hopes to convert protest energy into structured representation.
KNTPG emerged as an unregistered lobby for teachers who felt underserved by established unions, notably KUPPET and KNUT. Under Kinyua’s activism, the group openly challenged union leadership, accusing it of compromise and failing to confront the Teachers Service Commission and the government on issues central to teachers’ welfare.
The pressure group took firm positions on low pay, delayed implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreements, the Teacher Professional Development programme that charges KSh6,000 annually, the now-stopped delocalisation policy, and the performance of the AON Minet medical insurance scheme.
The activism was not without consequences. Members linked to KNTPG reported intimidation, abrupt transfers and disciplinary cases they described as fabricated actions they believe were intended to silence dissenting voices within the profession. The group’s attempt to register as a formal trade union was also rejected by the Registrar of Trade Unions, reinforcing Kinyua’s argument that change must now be pursued from within union structures.
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Announcing his candidacy, Kinyua framed his campaign as a pivot from pressure to policy, promising to operationalise the union bus and restructure the Benevolent Benefit Fund by returning Ksh200 of BBF contributions to teachers’ payslips through offsets from union dues. He proposes devolving BBF operations to autonomous sub-county committees under the “BBF Mashinani” banner, creating a transport committee to manage union vehicles, and establishing a wellness committee to address social, mental health and rehabilitation needs.
His manifesto also outlines monthly Branch Executive Committee meetings to strengthen governance, stipends for interdicted teachers until their cases are concluded, and a Sh20,000 farewell token for retiring teachers. The package is designed to translate long-standing grievances into tangible, branch-level action that teachers can feel in their payslips, welfare systems and daily support structures.
Kinyua’s entry has drawn keen interest across Laikipia, where many educators view him as a protest candidate attempting to channel grassroots frustration into institutional change.
By Philip Koech
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