Kisumu East Member of Parliament, MP Shakeel Shabbir is at the center of mounting public and legal scrutiny following his contentious remarks directed at a local teacher during a school meeting held on Friday, July 11 at St. Peter’s Kindu Secondary School.
What began as a flare-up in a school has now ballooned into a test of political ethics, public leadership, and the growing demand for respect in Kenya’s education sector. The incident, which occurred in the presence of students, parents, religious leaders, and other stakeholders, has sparked fierce backlash and ignited a discussion about leaders’ conduct.
The MP was captured on video berating Kennedy Otieno Okito, a teacher at the institution, with phrases such as “Who the hell are you?” ”I have a list of 100 unemployed teachers, If you think TSC will protect you, think again. You in the red jacket come here, who the hell are you?” words critics have described as degrading and humiliating. While Shabbir has since issued a general apology to the education fraternity, Ndung’u Wangenye & Associates Advocates, representing Mr. Okito, say the MP has not made a personal apology to the teacher himself, despite multiple demands.
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In a strongly worded legal notice signed by advocate Ndung’u Wangenye, dated 11th July 2025, the law firm accused Shabbir of defaming Okito and breaching constitutional standards expected of public officials. “The authority you are exercising is a public trust,” the letter reads, asserting that Shabbir’s actions amounted to character assassination. The firm has demanded a public retraction and unconditional admission of liability within seven days, failure to which they will pursue legal action for damages.
Education stakeholders are calling for political leaders to uphold professional ethics, especially in learning environments where their influence carries weight. The teacher’s legal team argues that the incident has harmed Mr. Okito’s professional standing and his perceived integrity within the community.
Although the MP acknowledged his mistake and apologized to “teachers in general,” critics say the gesture falls short of genuine accountability, pressure is mounting on Shabbir to formally address the matter with the affected teacher.
By Masaki Enock
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