YVONNE'S TAKE: TSC jobs - Asande Omwami!

For years, we sometimes wander around, seeking opportunities, not knowing where to find them, how they are obtained or who to speak to, especially in this country where it is about who you know, not what you know.

And so, shukrani zangu za dhati goes to the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Thank you for letting us know that TSC does not, in fact, have the mandate to hire teachers, as is enshrined in law. We have been ignorantly going to TSC and ignorantly imagining that we should follow the law. Now we know better.

Thank you for letting us know that the letters are issued at State House to MPs. At least now we know where to go.

Thank you also for calling out those MPs and their immorality for charging Ksh. 400,000 for the letters that they acquired from State House. So now, we can demand "better" or is it "less"? Because you didn't quite state the correct rate.

Now, you know this is important information coming from you, the Speaker of the National Assembly, and we cannot help but believe you, you see. Because you are the third in line to run this country, running one of the arms of government, the Legislature, so surely, you must know what you are talking about.

Indeed, might I add, you hold the esteemed role of a principal in this administration, leading a party that is part of the governing parties alliance. So, for sure, you must be familiar with how things work in government.

Now, because you are the one who knows, may I ask a few questions, please? Now that you have lifted the lid on how teachers can get jobs:

1. Were you against the Ksh.400,000 reportedly charged by the MPs because it is too high? Is there a more reasonable figure you have in mind, or should it be free? Also, should the fee be paid through eCitizen, just like all other government payments?

2. Also, if we find the MPs asking for that Ksh.400,000 you are unhappy with, who do we report them to? You, or shall we go straight to State House?

3. When getting the letters from the MPs, will they ask for the teacher's qualifications? Do they have the capacity to check the qualifications? I mean, has TSC trained them on how to check the documents?

4. For an MP to receive the letters, do they need any qualification? Should they sing TUTAM, WANTAM or walk in quietly in reverence?

5. Is that documentation even required? Should parents even spend money on training their children at teachers' training colleges? I mean, if we can just get letters from MPs who get them from State House, then maybe there need not be real, actual qualifications. Perhaps this part can be waived?

6. And lastly, I don't know if you have heard, but there are teachers who have been in the same station for nearly ten years, some who have been seeking to transfer to a different school and county. What do you advise? Should they call their MP? Could you help? Should they call you?

Please ponder on these questions, and hopefully, we shall get some more adequate responses at the next... erm... political rally?

In the meantime, I thank you most sincerely, indeed. A senior official such as yourself shedding light on what was quietly spoken about was very helpful. And it also helped bring things out in the open.

The rumours were, in fact, true? Kumbe some people had the insider information and were benefiting quietly? Now we all know it.

Armed with that information, we are knocking on our MPs' doors tomorrow to get those letters of appointment. We have abandoned TSC from now henceforth.

In fact, perhaps we can start to think of why we need TSC at all?

I humbly await your next rally, where you can take this discussion forward.

Thank you very much, sir.

Asante, Omwami.