KUSNET wants Ruto's pledges made in State House six months ago fulfilled

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The Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) wants the government to fulfill its promise of promotion it gave teachers in the State House six months ago.

KUSENT General Secretary James Torome said President William Ruto promised teachers promotion of an additional job group in September last year. But teachers have not received the promotion, meaning none of them has received the salary increment they expected.

Speaking when they distributed food and non-food items to pupils of Hope Special School for the Mentally Challenged in Mbita Sub-county, Torome said the delay in implementation of President Ruto’s directive was raising a concern.

“Teachers’ unions were invited to the State House on September 13, 2025, and the President issued a directive that teachers be given one more job group. But six months down the line, the presidential directive has not been implemented! Torome exclaimed.

The General Secretary challenged the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to speed implementation of the directive.

Torome, who was accompanied by KUSNET's first National trustee Jackson Odindo, emphasised that TSC should implement the directive before the end of this month.

“I am challenging the TSC secretary and chairperson to move with speed and give teachers the additional job group. We want to get the results before the end of this month,” Torome said.

He told the National Treasury CS John Mbadi to release money to the TSC to facilitate implementation of the presidential directive.

“We are urging CS Mbadi to release the money so that TSC can give teachers the promised job group,” Torome said.

Torome also complained that the President promised teachers 20 per cent of rooms in every unit constructed through the affordable housing project, but the promise had not been fulfilled.

He said the agreement was to elapse on March 13, but teachers still lack information about what is going on.

Torome urged President Ruto to sack Housing Principal Secretary Charles Hinga over the delay in the implementation of the pledge.

“The agreement on 20 per cent of the houses expired on March 13. PS Hinga has not met with teachers to tell us what is going on as directed by the President. Hinga must go because we don’t know what is going on in his docket,” Torome added.

Odindo, who is also the head teacher of Hope Special School for the Mentally Challenged, said pupils with special needs need more support due to the numerous challenges they undergo.

“For example, our school has poor infrastructure because we are using classrooms as dormitories. Sometimes we have to limit admission due to poor infrastructure. We appeal for more help,” Odindo said.