The National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee has resolved to summon top officials from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) over the criteria used to classify hardship zones in Kenya.
This follows a petition by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) from Machakos County, presented by Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka. The petition raised alarm over the exclusion of Mwala and Kalama sub-counties from the list of recognised hardship areas, despite facing similar socio-economic challenges as neighbouring regions that have been gazetted as such.
Committee Chairperson Edith Nyenze, MP for Kitui West, said the decision to engage TSC and SRC was necessary to understand the parameters that inform such classifications.
“As a Committee, we will meet TSC leadership and even the SRC to find out the criteria they use to categorize areas as hardship zones,” Nyenze stated.
Musyoka highlighted the inconsistencies in classification, pointing out that Mwala is surrounded by areas such as Yatta, Kitui Rural, and Mbooni East — all recognised hardship zones. He also noted that in Kalama Sub-county, while teachers in 33 public secondary schools receive hardship allowances, nine schools have been excluded without explanation.
Mavoko MP Patrick Makau, a committee member, called on the team to broaden their inquiry to include disparities in house allowances for teachers in urban areas. He cited an example where teachers in Mlolongo receive less housing allowance compared to their counterparts in Embakasi South, despite both being in the Nairobi metropolitan region.
“It is unfair for a teacher in Mlolongo to get a lower house allowance than their colleagues in Embakasi South. The two areas are in the same region,” said Makau.
In a separate matter, Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino appeared before the committee to present a petition concerning alleged unfair labour practices at Sukari Industries Limited in Homa Bay County. The petition alleges discrimination in pay and working conditions between local and foreign workers. The committee assured Owino they would investigate the matter, including a possible site visit, pending more detailed information.
