MPs now warned on constitution

Teachers attending the 37th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association annual conference in Mombasa have expressed concern over the mutilation of the constitution by MPs. KSSHA chairman Cleophas Tirop said implementation of the constitution must be done to the letter. He said amending the constitution at such an early stage may be disastrous, especially to the education sector. “We are concerned about agents and forces that are trying to mutilate the constitution. Those are forces of status quo. What we want is to embrace change,” said Tirop.

He said it is not going to be business as usual and vowed to ensure that the MPs are stopped. “We shall lobby and use our numbers to ensure that any forces against change are warned. It is not going to be business as usual for them,” he said. He also lashed out at the MPs who want the academic qualification of aspirants for different political seats reduced. “We are totally against that because Kenyans voted for the new constitution. Why didn’t they bring it out that time? Why are they now trying to mutilate the constitution?” said Tirop.

He said any attempt to mutilate the constitution without going back to the people of Kenya is defeatist. He said teachers ''are watching the MPs keenly''. The 5,000 school heads who began the five-day conference yesterday, also said they want to see changes in the country’s education curriculum. Education minister Mutula Kilonzo, who is expected to open the conference today, will be facing tough questions from the teachers on the budgetary allocation, performance contracting and other issues that they raised yesterday.

Other high profile politicians expected to address the school managers include Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, who is expected today, and Eldoret North MP William Ruto and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, on Wednesday. Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi is expected to address the teachers on Thursday while Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Gichugu MP Martha Karua and former Education PS James ole Kiyiapi are expected on Friday.

All the politicians invited, except Kilonzo, are presidential aspirants. Tirop called on politicians who will grace the conference to assure Kenyans that they are also ready for the envisaged changes. “That in case they win, what are their agendas for education and others? And if they don’t make it, are they willing to respect the decision of Kenyans? Are they ready to respect the arms of government for redress?” said Tirop.