Police teargas teachers demanding transfers from Northern Kenya
On Monday, a tumultuous incident unfolded at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) headquarters in Nairobi, resulting in the arrest of at least ten teachers, with one teacher left hospitalized. These 129 educators had been unable to return to their schools located in regions susceptible to banditry. Their attempt to seek an audience with TSC’s Director, Dr. Nancy Macharia, was met with teargas from the police.
The teachers had been summoned by their employers to explain their actions, but this meeting took a drastic turn when they were confronted by the police, leading to injuries and arrests. This confrontation came after a previously scheduled meeting for the affected teachers in Nairobi on Monday was rescheduled to Thursday.
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Following their time in police custody, the ten teachers were eventually released without any conditions. Meanwhile, leaders and trade unions criticized the TSC, demanding the withdrawal of letters sent to the teachers. They accused Ms. Macharia of insensitivity towards the teachers facing life-threatening situations.
It has also come to light that not all teachers had received letters from the commission, and some received them two weeks later, causing frustration among the educators. Outside Capitol Hill Police Station, where the ten teachers were held, some of their colleagues showed solidarity and voiced their grievances. They pointed fingers at Ms. Macharia for their predicament, asserting that their attempts to apply for transfers from the northern region had been unsuccessful, leaving them with no choice but to protest. Douglas Kirui, a teacher in Mandera, highlighted the challenges they faced, noting that online transfer services were frequently disrupted, despite having served in these areas for three years or more.
Police teargas teachers demanding transfers from Northern Kenya
