Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly criticized the Ruto’s administration, claiming that the recruitment of teachers is being carried out unlawfully.
According to Gachagua, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is the only body mandated by law to hire teachers. However, he alleges that these appointments are being made directly from State House, with President William Ruto personally overseeing the process.
Gachagua speaking during an interview with KTN further accused the President of overstepping his constitutional role, taking control of finance, procurement, and employment matters in the government.
A revelation by Murang’a Woman Representative Betty Njeri Maina has sparked outrage over the alleged irregular hiring of teachers. She disclosed that government-aligned MPs were recently handed Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employment letters to distribute among their constituents.
The former Deputy President also warned of attempts to transfer key public service functions from the Public Service Commission to the Head of Public Service, Felix Kosgey. He claimed that while such changes legally require a referendum, the government is trying to implement them through unofficial means.
Teachers’ unions have strongly condemned the practice, arguing that it violates legal hiring procedures and unfairly denies qualified Kenyans employment opportunities. The country continues to grapple with a high unemployment rate among trained teachers, further aggravating concerns.
Maina revealed that MPs were summoned to State House, where they received employment letters for teachers. She stated that she attended the meeting alongside eleven MPs from Kiambu, each receiving twenty letters, amounting to a total of 220 letters. Additionally, she mentioned that she was accompanied by Mathioya MP Dr. Edwin Mugo and emphasized that some teachers in Maragua Constituency were still waiting for employment.
She further alleged that MPs who failed to attend the State House meeting had let down their constituents, as they missed an opportunity to secure teaching positions for them.
Gachagua argued that this move is aimed at centralizing employment decisions within State House, ensuring that public appointments are dominated by individuals from the President’s community. He pointed out that a majority of recently appointed CEOs in parastatals come from one region, reinforcing his claims of biased hiring.
Accusing Ruto of tribalism in public service jobs, Gachagua contrasted the President’s words with his actions. While Ruto publicly claims to represent all Kenyans and opposes tribalism, Gachagua insisted that government appointments are overwhelmingly skewed in favor of his ethnic group.
He challenged Kenyans to scrutinize the appointment lists and judge for themselves, claiming that the administration’s promises of inclusivity are contradicted by its actual hiring practices. Gachagua maintained that while he openly advocates for his people, the President secretly implements tribal favoritism under the guise of national unity.
Maina’s remarks inadvertently exposed a well-known yet unspoken reality in political circles—public institution jobs are often awarded based on political allegiance rather than merit. This revelation sheds light on a deeply entrenched culture of patronage within government institutions.
Leaders from teachers’ unions have expressed grave concerns over the situation. Acting Secretary-General of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Moses Nthurima, and Deputy Secretary-General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Hesbon Otieno, have warned that such employment practices undermine the integrity of the education sector.
They cautioned the government against politicizing teacher recruitment, stating that State House has no authority to hire teachers. Nthurima criticized the move, questioning the fairness of MPs selecting friends and relatives for employment while teachers who completed college as far back as 2016 continue to wait for recruitment. He argued that such interference erodes meritocracy in education, emphasizing that teacher employment should be based on competence and a systematic backlog clearance process.
Nthurima further expressed concerns that political appointments in education diminish the independence of the TSC. He condemned the commission’s decision to issue employment forms to politicians, stating that it signified an alarming level of political interference in the sector.
Otieno echoed these sentiments, warning that the trend would disrupt staffing norms and result in an uneven distribution of teachers across the country. He reiterated that the TSC is a professional body tasked with recruiting and appointing teachers and should remain free from political manipulation.
Meanwhile, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya weighed in on the matter, stating that employment letters are not distributed to all leaders but rather to a select few who are aligned with the government. He further alleged that those with financial resources can easily obtain these letters, while those without must depend on government assistance, disadvantaging the most vulnerable and deserving teachers.
