The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT)has raised an alarm over what it describes as creeping political influence in the hiring of teachers. The union now warns that such interference risks compromising fairness and frustrating thousands of qualified educators awaiting placement.
According to KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu, recent trends show politicians taking an unusually active role in the recruitment process a mandate legally assigned to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). He voiced concern that this shift is sidelining deserving candidates and damaging the credibility of the system.
Oyuu did not hold back in his criticism: “Never in the history of the Teachers Service Commission have we seen what is happening now. The TSC should work and operate within its mandate. The manner in which employment forms are being distributed by some politicians leaves much to be desired.”
He said the union has received growing complaints from across the country about irregularities in the recruitment process, with some teachers claiming they’ve been edged out despite meeting all the qualifications. According to Oyuu, these frustrations are not just personal they reflect a wider crisis of trust in public institutions.
“The issue of employment is causing a lot of concern in the circles of the Kenya National Union of Teachers,” he said. “The Teachers Service Commission is an independent commission by law and has the mandate to recruit teachers for the teaching service. It is alarming that the TSC has abdicated this role.”
KNUT now wants the commission to reassert its authority, streamline its hiring mechanisms, and shield the process from external interference. Without such action, Oyuu cautioned, morale among aspiring teachers may continue to fall—along with confidence in the system meant to serve them.
