The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has launched a countrywide protest against what it calls irregular and unjustifiable deductions from teachers’ July 2025 payslips, with union officials demanding an immediate halt to the unexplained charges and full compliance from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The controversy emerged after the appearance of a deduction known as “SwaL: KUPPET-Union” in the payslips of thousands of teachers across the country.
The KUPPET National Executive Board, led by Secretary General Akelo Misori, has written to the TSC, urging it to stop the deductions with immediate effect, as they constitute a clear violation of a previously agreed-upon Return-to-Work formula.
“The deductions should have been effected immediately after the signing of the consent. TSC’s failure is a violation,” Misori stated in a strongly worded letter dated 30th July 2025.
The disputed deductions are said to cover the period of industrial action between August and October 2024, despite a consent order signed on 5th September 2024, which explicitly barred the victimisation of striking teachers or their union.
According to Misori, the Commission had failed to remit dues during the strike and is now “punishing the union retroactively.”
“Regrettably, the TSC has punished the union by withholding dues for three months.”
Misori further pointed out that KUPPET branches across the country had endured a severe cash crunch as a result of the TSC’s actions, forcing them to make “painful financial decisions” to sustain operations.
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“We’ve carried this burden long enough. TSC must stop the deductions immediately to close this chapter,” he said.
“The Commission has to respect the law, and the union’s statutory obligations must not be undermined.”
Misori’s statement follows mounting pressure from county branches across the country, where Executive Secretaries have raised alarm over the mysterious deductions and meagre pay rises reflected in the July payslips.
Executive Secretary for Laikipia Robert Miano questioned the source of the deduction and demanded transparency. “Our members firmly instruct me to demand answers on who authorised this deduction,”
From Makueni, Executive Secretary Justus Kimeu condemned the deductions as unjust, especially affecting teachers who had not even been confirmed as union members.
“It is unjustifiable to impose additional strain in these challenging economic times,” Kimeu said.
In Migori, where tension is high over both low salary increments and the unexplained deductions, KUPPET Executive Secretary Orwa Jasolo described the situation as humiliating.
“We want to know whether this is a double deduction and who authorised it,” he demanded.
From Nyeri, union officials expressed frustration that even they had not been informed of the deductions.
“Even as officials, we’ve been left to speculate on this unacceptable deduction,” said one branch leader.
In West Pokot, KUPPET Executive Secretary Alfred Kamuto described the deduction as “unlawful and uncalled for,” demanding an apology and an immediate refund.
“Teachers were hoping the CBA would lift them, not trap them in more deductions,” Kamuto stated.
The national backlash has been echoed by other county branches, including Narok, where KUPPET Executive Secretary Charles Ng’eno warned that pay slip privacy must be respected.
“The sanctity and privacy of teachers’ payslips must be respected,” Ng’eno said.
In Vihiga County, KUPPET Executive Secretary Sabala Inyeni condemned the deductions as “illegal” and accused the national office of bypassing approval processes.
“This is not the first time our members’ payslips are being raided without approvals under your long tenure,” Inyeni wrote in a letter addressed to the Secretary General.
The uproar comes jless than a month after the rollout of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which had raised teachers’ hopes for meaningful financial relief. Instead, many teachers have reported receiving net increments as low as KSh 143, with the added shock of unexplained deductions worsening their frustration.
With the TSC yet to respond officially, KUPPET warns that continued silence could lead to nationwide unrest.
The union has demanded the implementation matrix, a full breakdown of salary adjustments, and a comprehensive explanation of the SwaL deductions—or else.
“If the TSC doesn’t act, we will,” warned Orwa Jasolo, Migori Executive Secretary.
By Joseph Mambili
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