By Fredrick Odiero
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Kisumu branch has appointed a committee to review its constitution, specifically the rates for payment of bereavement funds to members.
Branch treasurer Prisca Obuya said that the team comprising of the Branch Executive Committee (BEC) and the Burial Benevolent Funds (BBF) committee benchmarked against Vihiga, Siaya and Homa Bay counties on better management of the funds.
Obuya said the committee proposed an upward review of the rates which were updated as follows:
Self – Ksh 30,000 to Ksh 40,000
Child – Ksh 15,000 to Ksh 20,000
Spouse – Ksh 20,000 to Ksh 30,000
Parent – Ksh 10,000
Obuya noted that the committee saw the need to do away with the parents in-law claim owing to the difficulties experienced in verifying who a bonafide parent in-law was in majority of past claims.
The treasurer revealed that they bought a Ksh 6 million bus through a loan which the members serviced monthly.
“We also do hire out the bus once in a while in order to help us sustain and maintain it,” she added.
Obuya said they had put in place a Bus committee complete with a Chairman – Caleb Olengo – who fully oversaw the running of the bus including repairs, hires and updating insurance covers.
The treasurer disclosed that their membership had dwindled in recent times due to various issues including; delocalization of some members, retirements and transfer of services by some members.
She said that colleagues from Kisumu National Polytechnic and Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology had exited and started a union of their own.
Obuya noted that the move negatively affected their membership but she was hopeful that with the recent adjustments in the benevolent funds management, their membership would spring back up.
