The Kenya Post Primary Education Teachers union has asked the employer to reinstate membership of rival union Knut.
Kuppet Baringo branch treasurer Fanuel Kipsoi expressed concern over the ailing Kenya National Union of Teachers, once a giant labour organisation.
“If the government can bring down a one-time strong union like Knut then what prevents it from turning again to kill Kuppet?” he said on Saturday.
He spoke during Boresha Sacco members educational meeting in Marigat, Baringo South.
The unionist's sentiments were echoed by Knut Baringo branch Joshua Cheptarus and chairman Silas Rutto.
Kipsoi said teachers have got their constitutional right to belong to any union without any intimidation.
“As Kuppet, we pity our brothers and sisters in Knut for the the challenges they are facing currently and we hope TSC will work out a deal as soon as possible to bring back the union to shape,” he said.
Some 110 Knut branches across the county face closure over outstanding bills after TSC withdrew over 100,000 members back in June last year.
“Although we don’t understand how the issue arose, our concern lies in the common call we have with Knut of working together to serve the interests of the Kenyan teacher and child,” Kipsoi said
Cheptarus appealed to the teacher employers TSC to move fast to bring back normalcy in the union, “failure to which, then we shall soon be collecting money directly from our loyal members across all the regional branches to sustain our union,” he said.
“We cannot sit and watch as the government takes to bed one teacher union locking another one outside,” he said.
Cheptarus said it was unfortunate that his colleagues and the staff serving in the union had gone for 18 months without salaries while others failed to service their bank loans.
“For us here in Baringo we thank Boresha Sacco for understanding our financial problems and so did not come to auction our belongings,” he said.
In January, Kuppet national chairman Omboko Milema said it was impossible for teachers from Knut to join them.
“As Kuppet we take post primary and technical institutions tutors only,” Milema said.
Milemba said the union already has 110,000 members and will not accommodate those leaving Knut.
“It would be like pushing Kenyan teachers to join one union which is against the spirit of trade unionism where everyone has the right to join a union of choice,” he said.
Before allegedly being frustrated by TSC, Knut previously boasted over 280,000 members but currently has below 28,000, a figure which can't sustain it.
Edited by Henry Makori
