Topic: Teachers in Kenya go on Strike

Summary Teachers in Kenya go on strike after the Kenyan government goes back on an agreement to increase teacher salaries by 200% over a five year period. After paying only the first increment of the five-part pay hike, in July the government said it had no money to pay the rest. The strike, which left 7 million students idle, coincided with high school final examinations. IMF announced last July that it was suspending a loan of 205 million dollars because of suspicions of corruption.

Additional Information The current (10/98) salary range for teachers in Kenya is ~R240 a month for a beginner to ~R1 200 monthly for experienced educators ($30-$308) The present strike is a culmination of events which started in October last year, when teachers went on strike for the first time over the government's refusal to implement the second phase of salary awards recommended by a government-appointed salary review commission last year. The teachers were set to go on strike when President Moi intervened by appointing a high-powered three-man committee composed of the head of the public service, Mr. Phares Kuindwa, the solicitor-general, Mr. Justice Aaron Ringera, and a former permanent secretary in the ministry of finance, Mr. Simeon Lesirma. The Kenyan government had few options as the IMF made it known that they would not approve an urgently needed new loan facility if the government acceded to the teachers' demands

Names to Know KNUT Kenya National Union of Teachers. Ambrose Adongo The secretary general of K.N.U.T. IMF International Monetary Fund. The IMF is an international organization of 182 member countries, established to promote international monetary cooperation, exchange stability, and orderly exchange arrangements; to foster economic growth and high levels of employment; and to provide temporary financial assistance to countries under adequate safeguards to help ease balance of payments adjustment.

Time Line 10/05/98 Strike begins. Police break up teachers demonstrations in several towns and cities, including Nairobi and the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa. 63 teachers arrested nation-wide are to be charged with disturbing the peace and attending illegal meetings. 10/06/98 Police in Karachuonya violently break up a meeting of teachers seriously injuring 10. 10/20/98 KNUT's national executive committee voted unanimously to end the strike. 10/22/98 The strike is called of by KNUT officials who state "love for the parents and students" as the reasons. Teachers involved are frustrated and furious. This ending comes days before national exams were scheduled to begin and at a time when support of the strike was growing. 09/--/99 Further negotiation between KNUT and the government is scheduled to take place.