The Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (KUNOPPET) has directed early childhood development education (ECDE) teachers in Kakamega County to resume their strike after conciliation talks over unpaid gratuity collapsed.
In a letter dated October 14, 2026, the union's General Secretary, Samuel A. Opiyo, instructed all members in the county to down their tools from midnight on Wednesday, October 14. The strike will continue until all affected teachers are paid their gratuity. As of Friday, October 16, the directive remains in force.
The move follows a conciliator's report dated October 14, which ended the dispute resolution process after the county government reportedly declined to pay gratuity to all affected ECDE teachers.
How the dispute unfolded
According to KUNOPPET, the dispute began after it issued a strike notice on June 17, 2026. The Cabinet Secretary for Labour then asked the union to suspend the industrial action to allow for conciliation, and a conciliator was appointed to help the parties reach an agreement.
The union accused the employer of refusing to commit to paying all its members, saying the county had indicated it would pay only 278 teachers. KUNOPPET rejected the proposal, insisting that every eligible ECDE teacher covered by the dispute must receive their gratuity. It said paying only a section of the teachers would not resolve the matter and demanded a comprehensive settlement.
With the conciliator's report ending the negotiations, the union reactivated its strike notice and directed members to resume the industrial action.
Strike to continue until teachers are paid
In the letter, Opiyo warned that the strike would continue into January 2027, with no teacher expected to resume duty until all affected teachers had been paid. KUNOPPET has maintained that the strike will be called off only once the gratuity dispute is fully settled.
The union copied the directive to the Kakamega County Public Service Board through the County Attorney, putting pressure on the county administration to address the outstanding payments.
The renewed strike threatens to disrupt services in public ECDE centres across Kakamega County.
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