By Anderson Ojwang
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Moses Wetangula, over the weekend opened a can of worms on how some MPs minted millions from the sale of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) teachers’ appointment letters.
A disappointed and disgusted Wetangula revealed how he took some MPs to State House to secure TSC teachers’ appointment and employment letters, only for them to sell at a whopping Sh 400,000.
“There are some of our MPs I took to President William Ruto, and each was given 10 appointment letters for teachers. It was very unfortunate for me to hear that they sold them out at a fee,” he said.
From 10 letters when sold at Sh 400,000, one MP allegedly pocketed a cool Sh 4 million each – what a rip-off.
Wetangula wondered why the MPs were selling the employment letters instead of giving them to their needy constituents.
“Honestly, someone is desperate and you know that they cannot afford it, and one is a night nurse like that woman said. You ask her for Sh 400,000 in order to give the appointment letter. Where will she get the money from? That is immoral, and we cannot accept such leadership,” he said.
Recently, Linda Mwananchi leader Edwin Sifuna accused the government of politicising teacher recruitment and claimed that TSC appointment letters were being handed out to politicians and allied MPs to use as political rewards and to buy loyalty, undermining institutional independence.
Similarly, in a recent TV interview, Nakuru West MP Samwel Arama cried foul for allegedly being frozen out from the teachers’ appointment letters – State employment letters.
“They are giving out the letters but have frozen me out, claiming that I don’t support them. I don’t understand. I have been supporting the development of the day.”
He said the employment letters had been reduced to a campaign tool, and the commission should be allowed to professionally recruit teachers.
“Why should State House give appointment letters to members from one community, and why should they bypass the TSC?” he asked.
