The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Embu Branch, has condemned an alleged assault of teachers by Mbeere South Member of Parliament, Eng. Nebart Muriuki, at St. Joseph Iriamurai Secondary School following the school’s poor performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
According to the union, the incident occurred on January 14, 2026, when the legislator reportedly visited the school and confronted teachers over what he described as unsatisfactory academic results.
KUPPET alleges that during the visit, some teachers were subjected to verbal abuse and physical harassment, with claims that a few were hit using finger flicks, locally referred to as ngoto, in the presence of students. The union described the incident as unacceptable, demeaning and unprofessional.
Speaking to KNA via phone on Wednesday, KUPPET Embu Branch Secretary General, Jacob Karura, strongly condemned the alleged actions, saying they amounted to an affront to the teaching profession and undermined the dignity of educators.
“We strongly condemn this behaviour in the strongest terms possible. Teachers deserve respect and not violence. Such actions lower the morale of teachers and set a bad example to learners,” said Karura.
He demanded a public apology from the MP and called on leaders to respect professional boundaries when engaging with education stakeholders.
Makima Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA), Philip Nzangi, also condemned the alleged conduct, describing it as unbecoming of a public figure and an elected leader.
Nzangi urged leaders to channel concerns over academic performance through established education structures rather than resorting to intimidation or violence.
Efforts to reach Eng. Muriuki for comment were unsuccessful, as his phone calls went unanswered.
However, in an earlier post on his official Facebook page, the MP stated that he had visited the school alongside other education stakeholders to seek academic interventions following repeated poor performance in national examinations. He did not directly address the assault allegations in the post.
By Samuel Waititu
