The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has withdrawn teachers from schools in Kerio Valley over security concerns.

Addressing the press after the KNUT Teso Teachers Burial and Benevolent Scheme 21st Annual General Meeting held at Amagoro Hall on Saturday, May 24, 2025, the national second vice-chairman, Aggrey Namisi, said no teacher will be allowed in class from May 26, 2026, until the government assures its members of adequate security.

“We can’t allow teachers to be in class without assurance of their security in the wake of banditry attacks that led to the killing of a Catholic priest,” Namisi noted.

Knut Teso Branch Executive Secretary Geoffrey Ekasiba said the county had lost a priest, adding that the government should provide tough conditions in Kerio Valley that can give priority to the teachers.

Corrupt promotions

Namisi told the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to embrace promotion of teachers, adding that corruption was riddled in the recent promotion of 25,000 teachers, lauding Parliament for ordering that the exercise be conducted afresh.

“The commission needs to be serious. Out of those promoted, 8,000 had stayed at their working stations for less than six months, whereas those who had been in the same grade for three years were left out,” he noted.

Ekasiba called for justice to be done, noting that those who scored highly were not given the positions.

“It’s painful that teachers with recent TSC numbers were considered compared to those with old numbers. Teachers who have served for long deserve respect,” Ekasiba said.  

The BBS chairman, Cain Emojong, encouraged those who had left to rejoin the scheme and also join hands in recruiting new members to better its services.

He assured members that the scheme is there to stay, and very soon, they will reap better fruits in their bid to grow BBS into a giant scheme.

Compulsory retirement

He revealed that from 2022-2025, 142 colleagues left the service due to compulsory retirement on age grounds, adding that the death rate in the current financial year hit 58, with the deaths of seven members, three spouses, four children and 45 parents.

Meanwhile, Eldoret Catholic Auxiliary Bishop John Lelei claimed that those who killed Fr Allois Bett Cheruiyot in Elgeyo Marakwet are known people and the government should go after them as soon as possible.

“It is said that insecurity and killings continue to be witnessed in Kerio Valley yet the government has not made any efforts to contain it,” said Bishop Lelei.

According to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, the government has intensified the crackdown on bandits who have, in recent days, resorted to killing innocent civilians.

The CS who spoke when he condoled with the family of the late Fr Cheruiyot at their home in Cheplasgei Village, Kilibwoni Division in Nandi County vowed to hunt down all the assailants and pacify the area.

Murkomen reiterated the government’s commitment to restore calm in the region, stressing that no one will be spared.

“Our security forces have intensified the crackdown against bandits in Kerio Valle,y and arrests have been made. As a result of these efforts and frustrated by the inability to carry out livestock raids, the bandits have resorted to terrorist activities where they kill innocent civilians inside the community away from cattle rustling,” said Murkomen.