Teachers in North Eastern Ask Government for Guns
Teachers in North Eastern Ask Government for Guns
Teachers in North Eastern Ask Government for Guns
Teachers working in North Eastern Kenya want to be armed and trained in paramilitary tactics akin to the National Youth Service and Recce Squad. Teachers in Isiolo who talked with the media on Wednesday said that they would be able to battle the widespread insecurity in the area if they received training in close combat, weapon competence, and other techniques.
At the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) annual general meeting in Isiolo, these fresh requests were brought forth. The chairperson of KUPPET for the Isiolo branch, Gilbert Wafula, contended that despite repeated complaints from teachers and deadly situations that resulted in the deaths of their colleagues, police had not provided sufficient security. Police have also been charged with prioritizing their own security when they are being attacked.
It is true that parts of Isiolo, such as Oldonyiro, Merti, Sericho, and Garbatula, are vulnerable to insecurity. We are asking the government to help teachers by providing them with firearms so they may defend themselves while performing their jobs. Wafula stated, “We are insisting that the government must provide guns for teachers to enhance their security,” and other KUPPET officials located in Isiolo echoed his comments.
A few officials requested to receive special forces training (Kenya Defence Forces – KDF). They did not specify, though, whether they had submitted their appeal to Parliament, the Interior Ministry, or the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Additionally, the professors failed to clarify how the training would be incorporated into their course material.
However, they contended that giving educators the right to self-defense would encourage them to work in the Northeastern states. A portion of educators has consistently objected to being assigned to positions in high-risk areas. Hundreds of teachers from North Eastern Kenya protested outside the TSC headquarters in Nairobi in September 2023, calling for relocation to other areas.
