Isiolo County Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya has pushed back against mounting criticism aimed at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), calling out what she sees as an attempt by some Members of Parliament to politicize a professional process.
Bonaya stepped in after the National Assembly’s Education Committee shot down a list of over 25,000 teacher promotions, accusing the TSC of regional bias. The committee had just concluded a tense session with TSC CEO Nancy Macharia and Chairperson Jamleck Muturi, where members claimed the process lacked equity and fairness.
But Bonaya wasn’t having it.
In a firm rebuttal, she emphasized that the TSC is an autonomous body, tasked with managing teachers’ affairs independently and free from political meddling.
“We must respect the independence of the TSC. Their role is to manage teacher welfare and progression without influence from political interests,” she stated.
She expressed frustration over what she described as a growing trend of politicizing professional institutions.
“What bothers me is that some leaders seem irritated when the commission tries to correct long-standing inequalities in our education system,” she said.
Bonaya defended the promotion criteria used, highlighting that it took into account not just merit and experience, but also the harsh realities faced by teachers working in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) like Isiolo.
“Teachers serving in difficult, underserved regions deserve recognition and encouragement. The promotions reflect that understanding,” she added.
She didn’t mince words in her critique of the committee’s stance, labeling the rejection of the list as both “self-serving and shortsighted.”
“It’s disheartening to see efforts to uplift marginalized areas being questioned simply because they’re finally receiving their fair share,” Bonaya said, warning against what she called an attempt to roll back progress under the guise of fairness.
In her view, the outcry over ASAL teachers getting promoted alongside their counterparts from other regions speaks to a deeper resistance to change one that she insists must be confronted.
