Government hatches plot to tame Knut

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Published on 10/01/2009

By Sam Otieno and Beauttah Omanga

In war, subterfuge and cunningness often make the difference between life and death. It appears the Government, in the bid to avert a national teachers’ strike, has learnt the lesson, and is using all the tricks in the bag. Top on the list is the divide-and-rule strategy. The latest is a last-minute formal recognition of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), mainly made up of secondary school teachers, which has accepted the minister’s new salary proposal. This means Kuppet members, unlike those of rival Knut, would be awarded a pay rise in three phases starting July 1st.

The communication sent to Kuppet by Teachers Service Commission Secretary Gabriel Lengoiboni last week slices off the powers of the giant Kenya National Union of Teachers. The union’s strike call paralysed learning in both secondary and primary schools in1997.

It appears then the Government would now no longer have to worry so much about paralysis of learning in post primary institutions. Sources within the Ministry of Education revealed Ongeri and his team would also wish Knut swallows the ‘bait’ of going to the Industrial Court, where ruling on a case could take two to three years.

Empty handed

"We would wish they go to court. That is what Uasu (University Academic Staff Union) did and after a year in court, the ruling came and they went home empty handed. The time it takes to conclude the case in court will give us a breathing space,’’ said a senior ministry official.

But the immediate problem for the Government appears to be how to tame Knut, a colossus on its own right, before the strike it has declared beginning January 19. By granting Kuppet the recognition it has sought for years, TSC has succeeded in not making it party to either the strike or protracted legal battles it anticipates.

Unlike in the past when TSC disowned Kuppet, which is a rival of Knut, Lengoiboni in his letter dated November 17, 2008, but released last week, says: "In light of the foregoing, the commission looks forward to signing a recognition agreement with yourselves."

Kuppet Secretary General Njeru Kanyamba said the union has decided to take the Government’s offer of a rise in three instalments, a time frame rejected by Knut. "It is not the normal three calendar years per se but what we have established is that the money will be paid in 24 months, which is a short period of time and we are ready to wait," said Kanyamba.

He said Kuppet had written to TSC to accord the union a recognition agreement last November and they received official response on Friday.

TSC’s reply recognises Kuppet as a body that can negotiate for teachers’ welfare. "Kuppet national executive committee is meeting on Monday to endorse a decision to call off the strike scheduled for January 15 and make a formal announcement on Tuesday next week," said Kanyamba.

This means that the union, which boasts close to 40,000 members in secondary schools and enjoys support from the post primary institutions, would not participate in the strike called by Knut.

And in a bid to consolidate the new relationship, Kuppet will further withdraw all suits it has filed in court against TSC next week, Kanyamba said. "Whether it is by design or accident, we are ready and happy to take the Government offer," conceded Kanyamba.

He since Kuppet has a recognition agreement, it would in future negotiate other terms and working conditions for its members. Knut also sees the Government’s registration of a parallel union as an attempt to scuttle the teachers’ pay demands.

In a rejoinder, Knut chairman George Wesonga said the union was not surprised that the Government had suddenly decided to recognise Kuppet.

"The Government first used Kuppet to undermine Knut way back in 1988 when it was registered. The Government can use them but we will not be cowed by that move," said Wesonga.

The chairman said Knut would press on with their plans to on strike. He wondered why Kuppet would jump and accept the deal that, "we (Knut) had vigorously negotiated for in their absence".

Wesonga said on Tuesday Knut National Executive Council would meet to update the officials on their predicament in the salary saga and forge ahead with the strike.

He warned Knut would only call off the strike if the Government gives in to their initial demands for full implementation of the salaries and that payment commences from January 2009.

Harmonisation

Kuppet says the offer to teachers in job groups K to R, where most of its members fall, has already met its demand for harmonisation of salaries with those of civil servants.

The raise ranges between 42 per cent and 177 per cent. But Knut rejected harmonisation because majority of their members in job groups F to J would get a pay cut.

Prior to the change of heart by the Government, TSC chairman Ibrahim Hussein was being seen as the man behind the sudden Government closeness with Kuppet.

Hussein is said to have met Kuppet officials more than three times since talks between Knut and the Government collapsed.

"The meeting failed to materialise

Kanyamba confirmed that Kuppet officials met Hussein moments before the minister arrived at the venue. The source, who is also a member of the Teachers Service Remuneration Committee (TSRC), a body negotiating teachers’ salaries, said Hussein has been the most outspoken compared toLengoiboni.

Barely three weeks ago, TSC had denied registration of 20,000 members willing to join Kuppet. As a result, the union was barred from engaging in any industrial relations with the Government, because its registered members did not comprise the required simple majority of 51 per cent. This locked Kuppet out of TSRC, a body instituted by Ongeri to negotiate teacher’s salaries.

Kuppet had issued a 21-day strike notice, after which post-primary teachers were scheduled to go on strike on January 15th.

"My hands are tied and we cannot discuss salary harmonisation with Kuppet under the law. We cannot go into any negotiations until the union signs a recognition agreement with the Teachers Service Commission," Ongeri had ruled at that time.

Dr Andrew Rasugu, a policy analyst at the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research warned that it would be disastrous for the Government to employ divide and rule tactics to scuttle the strike.

"This is a strategy that the Government would like to use to divide the teachers, but ideally, the Government should listen to teachers instead of engaging in tricks," he said.