Kisii Governor Simba Arati threatens to fire ECDE teachers if they proceed on strike

Kisii Governor Simba Arati has threatened to sack Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers in the region should they attempt to make real their threat to down their tools on September 14, 2023.

Arati's sentiments were preceded by the ECDE teachers notifying police of the planned strike which they say has been informed by, among other things, failure of the Kisii County government to address their grievances, including pay hikes. 

Addressing members of the public in Kisii town on Thursday, Governor Arati noted that there are many trained but unemployed ECDE teachers who are ready to assume the positions of their demos-bound colleagues.

"We kuja, fanya maandamano...ukimaliza ujue kuna watu wengi. We can employ those people. Huwezi kuwa unalipwa pesa tena unakuja kuandamana...ati tukuweke kwa payroll,” he said.

He added that he will not sit idly by and let pupils miss out on education during the aforesaid demonstration period, further hinting at plans by his administration to hire volunteer teachers.

"Wacha watoto wasisome siku hiyo...mtajua. Tutahakikisha kuna walimu wengi volunteers, wataenda kufundisha huko. Hamwezi tutishia sisi hapa," said the bullish county boss.

The Kisii Governor correspondingly noted that, in the past, the teachers' grievances were raised via the now-disbanded County Public Service Board, hence the delays in addressing the issues.