KISUMU, Kenya, Jul 14 – Officials and teachers under the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) were on Monday attacked and left with injuries after they stormed Kindu Secondary School in Kisumu East Sub-county to protest the harassment of a colleague by area MP Shakeel Shabir.
The teachers, led by KUPPET Kisumu Executive Secretary Zablon Awange, arrived at the school in a union-branded bus to condemn the recent incident in which MP Shabir was captured on video verbally attacking a teacher over poor academic performance.
However, the peaceful protest quickly turned violent when members of the public reportedly began pelting the bus with stones.
Attempts by the teachers to alight for their safety were met with beatings using canes.
Awange said the union members had assembled peacefully to show solidarity with their demeaned colleague, but were instead met with hostility.
“This attack is not just an assault on teachers but an affront to the very fabric of our education system, and it must be met with the strongest possible response from authorities,” said Awange.
Held hostage
The situation escalated as the teachers were held hostage inside the school compound, fearing for their lives as community members threatened to stone them. Some teachers sought refuge within the school while others fled into nearby bushes.
Police officers from Gita Police Station were quickly mobilized to prevent further violence and to restore order.
The teachers are now calling for the immediate arrest of the attackers and demanding that the government take concrete steps to protect educators, including guaranteeing their right to protest peacefully without intimidation or violence.
The MP has since issued a public apology for his conduct, attributing his outburst to emotional distress.
Meanwhile, the harassed teacher has engaged legal counsel, who have written to the MP demanding a formal apology and admission of liability.
