Knut Teso branch has threatened to disrupt the upcoming National Housing and Population Census 2019 next month if teachers will not be hired to do the work.
Branch treasurer Joseph Eseme on Saturday said teachers will not support an exercise in which they are discriminated against.
He said calls by some politicians that teachers, because they already earn salaries, should not be hired amount to discrimination and should be condemned.
Eseme said teachers are Kenyans and have the right to apply for and get recruited for the 2019 census work.
“We don’t understand why everyone does not support the idea of teachers being given National Housing and Population Census jobs,” he said during the burial of Pauline Kaunya, 81, at Adanya village in Teso North subcounty.
“County employees are being given the jobs. National government employees have been picked to carry out the exercise. But everyone is against teachers is this whole process. Why? We will chase away census officials if teachers are left out.”
Eseme spoke hours after the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics called for the support of all Kenyans especially the clergy in ensuring the success of the exercise that is conducted every ten years.
There have been calls from a section of leaders that the exercise be carried out by youth who have completed school but are still unemployed.
Among the leaders who have been vocal advocating for the exclusion of people already unemployed is Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria who recently said youth should be given first priority in the recruitment process.
KNBS on Friday announced that staff who will oversee the 2019 Census have already been recruited.
They include 2,700 ICT supervisors, 27,000 content supervisors and 135,000 enumerators.
KNBS chairman Peter Kiguta at a press conference in Nairobi reiterated the need for all Kenyans to support the exercise.
The 2019 Census is scheduled to begin on the night of August 24 and run until August 31.
