Embakasi East Member of parliament Paul Ongili, popularly known as Babu Owino has threatened to lead a nationwide demonstration if the government fails to pay teachers employed by BOM.
The youthful legislature who has been in the fore front championing for the rights of not only BoM teachers but also learners who have been hit hard by the pandemic, has stated he will personally lead a mother and father of all demonstrations that will barricade all roads on a daily basis.
“Failure to pay BOM Teachers as soon as possible will lead to a Peaceful Nation wide demonstration that is better imagined than experienced.I will personally lead the mother and father of all demonstrations and all roads will be blocked on a daily basis, said Babu Owino in a statement.
Babu Owino has further dared the government to prepare for more teargas if it wont release money meant for payment of salaries of BOM teachers.
He said, “We will demand for teargas if we can’t demand for money. Pockets of BOM Teachers are shy and they must be made to smile.”
The issue of payment of salaries of BOM teachers has turned out to be more contentious day after day with stakeholders faulting the ministry on how it has handled it.
Florence Mutua who is the chairperson National Assembly Education Committee, is among individuals who have weighed in on the issue of the BOM teachers.
Earlier this week Ms Mutua called on the ministry to come clean and ensure these teachers are paid so as to alleviate economic pain they are going through.
“We cannot confidently say that BoM teachers are paid yet they are out there dying of depression and the ministry has the money and should work with the heads and principals to ensure their staff get paid,” she said.
Mr. Kahi Indimuli who is the Chairman of the Kenya Secondary’s Heads Associations KSSHA has confessed that the ministry is yet to send Free Secondary Education Funds and this has negatively impacted on heads of institutions. According to Indimuli, two heads have so far succumbed to stress related ailments.
“The teachers feel that money has been sent and we have refused to pay. We have lost two heads over stress-related cases because the ministry says money has been sent yet it has not been received by them,” said Mr Indimuli.
On Wednesday this week, Chief Adminstrative Secretary Zack Kinuthia, assured BOM teachers that they will receive their salaries by today.
He said, “This is a promise from the office of the CAS through consultation that the money is safely on transit to their bank accounts. It will happen whether it is today, tomorrow or Friday.” Each teacher will get Sh40,000.