More than 600 early childhood development and education teachers in Siaya have accused the area county government of neglecting their welfare and failing to pay them millions of shillings in unpaid salary arrears.
According to the teachers, the county government has not paid them their dues for the last three years when they were absorbed into permanent and pensionable terms of service.
Speaking to the media in Siaya town after their visit to the area governor, James Orengo’s office hit a snag, the teachers complained of neglect as well as selective and unfair treatment, adding that the county administration was also holding on to the gratuity that they were to be paid for more than a decade that they served before conversion to permanent and pensionable terms.
Led by the Siaya ECD teachers” chairman, Barrack Omondi, the teachers said they were first engaged by the county government in 2016 under the first governor, Cornel Rasanga and they continued working under renewed contracts until 2023 when their terms were translated.
He decried what he termed “irregular employment practices” and favouritism in the payroll system.
“Some teachers are paid; others are not. Some are invited to induction trainings, others are sidelined. This is inequality at its worst,” lamented Omondi.
A teacher, Lillian Adhiambo said they were given permanent and pensionable letters on May 19,2023, but up until February 2024, they never received the salaries.
Adhiambo lamented that some county government employees who were employed around that period have already received their arrears but whenever they ask for theirs, nobody seems interested in addressing their plight.
The Kenya Union of Pre-Primary Education Teachers (KUNOPPET) Siaya branch executive secretary, Elly Odongo, warned that the situation was adversely affecting the teachers and urged Governor James Orengo to intervene.
By Philip Onyango
