The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Branch Executive Secretary Mr Paul Biwott has praised the government for deploying the military in banditry-prone areas.
The areas termed as dangerous and disturbed are undergoing a security operation to tame the illegal acts of bandits.
Biwwot was addressing the Boresha Deposit Taking (DT) Sacco members at an education meeting held in Iten Special School.
He said that President William Samoei Ruto’s move will help curb the rising cases of uncertainty which has always affected the regions.
He revealed that many people including school-going children have lost their lives recently due to banditry. He reiterated that the government should execute measures should tame the situation.
Biwott said that learning in the porous borders in Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo has been paralyzed and called upon the authorities to hasten efforts to restore peace in the area.
In an interview with members of the media, Mr Biwott urged teachers to introduce themselves to the security personnel conducting the security operation to avoid clashing with them in areas affected by banditry.
He suggested disarming of Pokot bandits if they were indeed serious in their security operation.
He revealed his distaste for a recent attack at Tunyo in Elgeiyo Marakwet despite the heavy deployment of military along the borders of six counties in the Northern region.
“It is disheartening to report banditry in this era of the 21st century and unacceptable to see promising youth and women being killed and deprived of their wealth. The government should swing into action by dealing with the menace once and for all and consider it a terrorist activity,” said Mr Biwott.
However, he implored the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to listen to calls for promoting teachers in different job groups and switch to the old job groups because it takes forty (40) years, almost an eternity, for a teacher to be promoted to the position of the headteacher.