In Homa Bay County, a tense situation unfolded when Omboko Milemba, the National Chairman of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), found himself in the midst of angry secondary school teachers. Their frustration stemmed from his support of the Finance Bill 2023 in the National Assembly.
Accompanied by the union’s Secretary General, Akelo Misori, and other KUPPET officials, Milemba attended a secondary school teachers’ sports tournament held at Tom Mboya University in Homa Bay town. Initially, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with teachers appearing excited about the tournament. However, when the master of ceremonies invited Milemba to deliver his opening remarks, the situation quickly escalated.
As Milemba took the stage, he introduced himself and openly admitted that he had voted ‘yes’ for the Finance Bill. His words were met with a chorus of boos from a group of teachers. Undeterred, Milemba continued to explain the bill’s importance for the country’s development, but his explanations were ignored. The teachers accused him of betraying their interests by supporting the contentious bill.
For more than 15 minutes, the confrontation persisted, with the teachers venting their frustrations towards Milemba. Sensing the need to intervene, Misori stepped forward and admonished the teachers for their inappropriate behavior. However, as Milemba made his way off the stage, some teachers resorted to throwing objects, including stones, at him.
In an effort to protect their leader, one of Milemba’s bodyguards drew two pistols and pointed them at the teachers, urging them to cease their aggressive actions. The tense standoff finally came to an end, leaving both sides shaken and disheartened.
Misori and other KUPPET officials condemned the incident, highlighting the teachers’ lack of tolerance towards Milemba. They stressed that such behavior was unjustifiable and called for peaceful dialogue to address their concerns.
