KNUT Endorses Ruto’s 2027 Re-Election Bid After Teacher Salary Increments and Promotions
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has officially thrown its weight behind President William Ruto’s bid for re-election in 2027. This endorsement comes on the heels of significant government interventions in teacher welfare, including salary reviews, accelerated promotions, and hiring commitments.
KNUT Secretary General’s Strong Endorsement in Nandi County
During grassroots union elections in Nandi County on Monday, January 26, KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyoo declared that teachers across the country would support President Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
Oyoo highlighted the positive outcomes from recent engagements with the President at State House, stating that these interactions were already yielding tangible results for the teaching fraternity.
He praised the government’s allocation of over Ksh 2 billion specifically for teacher promotions and the recruitment of new educators.
“The President directed that an additional Ksh 1 billion be put in place to promote, instead of promoting 25,000 teachers, promote 50,000 teachers. So who are you not to say thank you? As a union, we want to say thank you to the President and will stand with him in 2027,” Oyoo affirmed.
Key Gains from State House Agreements with Teachers
The endorsement aligns with ongoing implementation of commitments made during President Ruto’s September 2025 meeting with teacher representatives at State House.
These include:
- Hiring an additional 25,000 new teachers by January 2026, pushing the total hires since 2022 toward the promised 100,000.
- Implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) valued at Ksh 33.75 billion.
- Salary increments rolled out in two phases, starting July 2025, with raises ranging from 16% to 32%.
- Reduction of the CBA implementation cycle from four years to three years for faster delivery of benefits.
Teachers were also assured additional perks, such as access to affordable housing units and improved retirement benefits.
Addressing Past Concerns Over Implementation Delays
Prior to this positive shift, teachers—through unions including KNUT and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET)—had raised concerns about slow progress by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in actualizing the President’s promises.
In late December 2025, KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori criticized the TSC for minimal action on the State House agreements.
However, recent developments, including doubled promotion budgets and accelerated hiring, appear to have addressed many of these grievances, paving the way for KNUT’s public show of gratitude and political support.
This development underscores the improving relations between the government and the education sector workforce, with teachers crediting President Ruto’s direct interventions for resolving long-standing issues.
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KNUT Endorses Ruto’s 2027 Re-Election Bid After Teacher Salary Increments and Promotions