Nandi residents have expressed outrage over remarks attributed to National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula suggesting that Members of Parliament (MPs) are given Teachers Service Commission (TSC) appointment letters to distribute or sell to beneficiaries of their choice.
The residents said the remarks were disturbing because they appeared to suggest that legislators were being allowed to interfere with the mandate of a constitutionally established independent commission.
Teacher Caleb Namaswa argued that recruitment of teachers should be conducted strictly on the basis of merit, qualifications, staffing needs and established TSC procedures rather than political connections or the influence of individual MPs.
Namaswa said the remarks had caused anxiety among thousands of trained teachers who have been waiting for opportunities to secure employment after completing their studies.
“If MPs are given appointment letters to distribute to people of their choice, then the whole recruitment process becomes questionable. Many teachers apply through the official channels and wait for years hoping that their qualifications and experience will eventually earn them a job,” he said.
He said political involvement in recruitment could undermine the morale of unemployed teachers and make young people believe that qualifications alone were not enough to secure public employment.
The educationist called for clarification from relevant authorities on whether MPs have indeed been receiving TSC appointment letters and, if so, why such a practice exists.
A democratic governance advocate, Jacob Kinyua, said the controversy exposed a worrying tendency by political institutions to encroach on the responsibilities of independent constitutional bodies.
“The Constitution established independent commissions so that certain public functions could be performed without political interference. Parliament should be protecting the independence of these institutions instead of appearing to take over their functions,” said Kinyua.
The governance expert urged the National Assembly to summon relevant officials to explain the process through which appointment letters are allegedly channeled through legislators.
He said any system that gives politicians discretion over public employment could create room for favoritism, discrimination and patronage.
Kinyua added that public institutions must operate within their constitutional mandates to preserve public confidence in government.
A woman leader, Jane Chumo, said the reported practice would be particularly unfair to ordinary families who make enormous sacrifices to educate their children.
“Parents spend many years paying school and university fees because they believe education will give their children an opportunity to compete for employment. It is therefore unfair if those opportunities can later be determined by political connections,” she said.
Chumo urged the government to ensure teacher recruitment remains transparent, with applicants given clear information on available vacancies, selection criteria and the reasons behind the appointment of successful candidates.
She said political leaders should concentrate on representing their constituents and monitoring government programmes instead of determining who gets public employment.
A youth leader, Moses Kirwa, said the controversy was likely to deepen frustration among unemployed young people, particularly graduates who have been searching for jobs for years.
“Young people want a system where they can compete fairly. Nobody should be required to know an MP or another political leader before securing a government job,” he said.
Kirwa said the alleged involvement of politicians in the issuance of TSC appointment letters could create a perception that public jobs were rewards for political loyalty.
He called for an independent investigation into the allegations to establish whether the practice exists and, if so, determine those responsible.
Nandi has a large number of trained teachers, making the issue particularly sensitive in the county. Residents said thousands of qualified teachers compete for limited vacancies whenever TSC announces recruitment opportunities.
They said the commission’s independence must therefore be protected because teacher recruitment directly affects the livelihoods of graduates as well as the quality of education in schools.
The residents also urged MPs to respect the constitutional separation of roles, saying legislators have an important responsibility to make laws, represent citizens and exercise oversight over government institutions.
They said that responsibility should not be confused with the power to determine who is employed by an independent commission.
The residents further called on TSC to publicly clarify its recruitment procedures and explain whether appointment letters are ever issued through politicians.
They said any teacher who qualifies for employment should be selected through a transparent and accountable process that gives all applicants an equal opportunity.
The residents maintained that public employment must remain free from political patronage and that the independence of TSC, and other public institutions, must be respected if Kenyans are to retain confidence in the country’s constitutional order.
They said the controversy was therefore not merely about appointment letters but also about the protection of constitutional institutions and the principle of equal opportunity.
They urged authorities to address the concerns promptly to prevent uncertainty among trained teachers and restore confidence in the teacher recruitment process.
The residents said a transparent recruitment system would not only protect qualified applicants from discrimination but also ensure that schools receive teachers based on genuine staffing needs.
They further called for clear communication from TSC whenever recruitment exercises are undertaken, including publication of vacancies, selection criteria and successful candidates.
They maintained that safeguarding the independence of teacher recruitment was essential to protecting merit, fairness and professionalism in the education sector.
By Sammy Mwibanda
