Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi on Saturday said Emuhaya lawmaker Omboko Milemba betrayed teachers by supporting the Finance Bill that introduced more taxes on payslips.
Teachers are among the public servants who have complained about the 1.5 per cent tax on housing among many other deductions that will raid their bank accounts as a result of the now Finance Act 2023.
Many opposition MPs voted against the bill on the floor of the House, but Milemba, who is a member of the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition, supported it.
Speaking during the Knut AGM in Milemba's Emuhaya backyard, Osotsi told the teachers they were betrayed by one of their own.
Milemba also serves as the national chairman of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers.
Osotsi said Milemba had a better chance of protecting teachers' payslips by convincing the government not to hike taxes, but he failed as a leader.
"When elected as leaders, we don't need to go against the will of our people we represent via their votes. And therefore, we need to protect their interests first," Osotsi said.
"Omboko being a unionist, he could have stood firm with teachers and raised their voice, but it's unfortunate that he chose to fine-tune himself with the government."
Osotsi said the 2023-24 Finance Bill, which has already been implemented, has endangered teachers' payslips.
He said the lawmaker, being a unionist, failed to play his role while protecting teachers, who are now bearing the brunt of the new law.
Osotsi said this after the Knut leadership raised concerns on how the SRC is punching holes in their payslips.
The union says teachers have been subjected to poverty with "erroneous" deductions on their payslips.
However, Milemba said he will not mix union issues and politics, saying it will ruin many goodies that are yet to be realised for teachers.
