TSC Chief Executive, Nancy Macharia, Tuesday found herself inside the dreaded Kenyans on Twitter net, for a lesson on her move to revoke Kenya National Union of Teachers’ (KNUT) recognition.
In a letter dated Nov. 4, Macharia issued the lobby a two-month notice to terminate a recognition agreement dating back to 1968 because, according to TSC, KNUT does not have enough unionisable members to maintain its legitimacy, under the Country’s labour laws.
KNUT currently has slightly over 100,000 teachers signed to it.
The CEO’s sentiments did not, however, auger well with Kenyans on social media, who accused her of being too drunk with the power that comes with her teachers’ boss position.
One Nancy Macharia of @TSC_KE needs to be tamed. She cannot run the commission as a personal kiosk. She is slowly but surely killing labour movements in the country as evidenced by her onslaught on KNUT and Sossion. Let her concentrate on uplifting the welfare of teachers.
— Douglas Orang'i (@Douglasorangi) November 5, 2019
A section of KOT alleged that Macharia’s ultimate goal is to demean teachers by bringing their only avenue of airing frustrations down.
Oya Walimu if you allow Nancy Macharia to break your union that will be the end of you. Stand strong, and reject this authoritarianism by this confused woman.
— TheNorth (@NorthernKE) November 5, 2019
Teachers Service Commission @TSC_KE is a odious, authoritarian and cruel anti-teachers Institution. It's leadership led by CEO Nancy Macharia is nothing but state repression enforcer TOOL. Teachers, you either stand together OR you be hanged separately. REJECT TYRANNY!
— Ndung'u Wainaina (@NdunguWainaina) November 5, 2019
Teachers, if you allow Nancy Macharia and TSC to break KNUT, they will come for the new unions you are joining and kill them too. You will soon have nothing to fight for you.
Stand strong and block any attempts to kill your powerful unions. Support your unions.
— Robert Alai (@RobertAlai) November 5, 2019
Other Kenyans felt that Macharia, who has in the past been embroiled in wrangles with KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion, was being used to do the dirty work for politicians seeking to oppress teachers.
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia is being used & she will be dumped! The govt wants KNUT to die ,this giant teachers Union has fought & improved teachers welfare. If teachers don't stand up for Sossion & KNUT,it's them that will suffer! & That's Kenya for you
— JOE (@josagana) November 5, 2019
The likes of Nancy Macharia are out to destroy this country. She is definately serving the interests of uhuru and the cartels. Kenya is no longer a country but a well organised group of cartels out to enrich themselves at the expense of a common mwananchi
— jacob oketch odero (@oderojax) November 5, 2019
On Nov. 1, TSC de-registered Sossion as a teacher on the grounds of the unionist having joined politics by accepting ODM’s nomination to Parliament.
Other Kenyans warned Macharia that, just like other civil servants who let power get to their heads, her goose will soon come home to roost.
Nancy Macharia should dig a shallow grave for KNUT. Or NOT dig one. When you dig a grave for an enemy, dig a shallow one, for you might end up in it yourself! Her #TangaTanga hatchet men against Sossion & KNUT won’t outsmart teachers in the game of political survival. #COTU
— kilemi R. Morithi (@KirimiKilymi) November 5, 2019
Dear Nancy Macharia of Teachers Service Commission …… this country witnessed tough Ministers, Permanent secretaries and Provisional Commissioners during BABA na MAMA era but when push came to shove, They were pushed into oblivion. Uka kahora, power is temporary.
— KENNETH (@IkeOjuok) November 5, 2019
The CEO was appointed in 2015, with her tenure characterised by high profile teachers’ strikes led by her nemesis, sossion.
While the majority of citizens viewed Macharia’s actions as being in bad taste, a few noted that teachers only had themselves to blame, as they were quick to form side-lobbies instead of unifying under KNUT.
Dr. Nancy Macharia's job is to execute policies passed by the commissioners. The Issue of Knut is self inflicted my brother. The Teachers had long rebelled against Sossion as he was making a lot of noise just to cut deals with cartels. Teachers asked to leave knut and TSC agreed.
— @NICKS (@GenAgoi2) November 5, 2019
GoK has always tried to kill KNUT and this time round, they played teachers against themselves by promoting splinter unions.
Whatever happens, going forward, teachers will regret fighting Sossion.
Let the games begin.
TSC cuts ties with KNUT https://t.co/JRbgjxyxbV
— mmnjug™ (@mmnjug) November 5, 2019
The fact that She has done that without lifting her voice puts credence to the theory that women think with both sides of the brain.sossion was no match for this CEO .He never imagined or prepared for a cold calculating bitch of Nancy' s stature as His foe.
— Mike (@Mikebklexy) November 5, 2019