BY KEPHER OTIENO

A senior official at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has come under scrutiny for allegedly manipulating the staffing processes of TSC county offices, particularly in Kisumu.

The claims have sparked controversy, with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) demanding that the commission be allowed to operate without external interference.

The Executive Secretary of KNUT’s Kisumu City Branch Mr David Obuon, accused an unnamed commissioner of attempting to micromanage the staffing of schools, alleging that he has been placing his associates and relatives in key positions.

According to Obuon, the commissioner recently reportedly influenced the transfer of a school headteacher, moving them from an institution where he is a board chairman to a new school where his relative holds the same position.

The allegations point to a systematic effort by the commissioner to ensure that local schools are staffed with his allies, undermining the TSC’s policy of prioritizing local recruitment.

“The TSC policy on replacement and recruitment gives priority to the sub-county where vacancies arise, but this has not been honored in Kisumu due to this official’s interference,” Obuon stated

He further emphasized that such practices go against the principles of division of labor and the separation of powers, which ensure impartiality and transparency in the staffing process.

The commissioner in question is also reportedly campaigning for a parliamentary seat in Kisumu, raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest.

Obuon called for the commissioner to focus on his TSC duties and cease meddling in local school affairs.

He also expressed displeasure over the implementation of punitive policies that teachers in the region have had to endure, which Obuon claims were reportedly conceived by the same commissioner.

“We are demanding that he stick to the responsibilities assigned to TSC commissioners and stop this underhanded micromanagement of Kisumu,” Obuon concluded, highlighting the frustration of teachers in the region.

The TSC is yet to respond to the allegations, as the authorities tipped us to hold for their responses any time.

But with tensions running high, both teachers and local stakeholders are keenly watching how the situation will unfold in the coming weeks as schoolswait to open in January next year.