House approves Sh3bn pension for retired teachers Share Bookmark Print Rating Education assistant minister Calist Mwatela. Parliament approved a resolution calling on the government to release Sh3.34 billion in pension and gratuity arrears for retired teachers June 6, 2012 Education assistant minister Calist Mwatela. Parliament approved a resolution calling on the government to release Sh3.34 billion in pension and gratuity arrears for retired teachers June 6, 2012 By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU ashiundu@ke.nationmedia.com Posted Wednesday, June 6 2012 at 14:51 SHARE THIS STORY 0 inShare Thousands of retired teachers got a reprieve Wednesday after Parliament approved a resolution calling on the government to release Sh3.34 billion in pension and gratuity arrears. The House resolution will see 31,082 retirees paid their dues after spending the early years of their retirement in penury. The Ministry of Education, through its assistant minister Calist Mwatela, told MPs that the money had already been set aside and there was no reason why the Controller of Budget was putting roadblocks on what was essentially a court award. “Anybody pretending to be withholding pension money should have gone to court, because it is illegal not to pay pension. I fully agree with this House that the teachers should be paid now,” said Mr Mwatela. The teachers had already been paid their pensions based on the last salary they earned before retirement. They subsequently went to court to have their salary matter adjudicated because the 1997 salary agreement captured in the Legal Notice No.534 of 1997 had not been honoured by the Moi regime In 2003, the Kibaki Administration negotiated another agreement with the teachers, which has been fully implemented. The court therefore entered judgment in the teachers’ favour. But there was a legal hitch when it came to paying the money this year. Under the new dispensation, any amounts of money must be authorised by the Controller of Budget. The Controller of Budget, Agnes Odhiambo, said she will not approve any withdrawal of the amount until she gets a legal opinion from the Attorney-General on how the court case hems in with the Pensions Act. Teachers suffering On Wednesday, Mr Mwatela added: “It is not right for a person to work for so long the way these teachers did and the end of it all, they have to run around looking for their pensions." John Pesa (Migori) said teachers were suffering yet the Treasury had already agreed on how the payments will be made. “The money is there; it was voted in this House and it is with the Treasury. We want it paid before the end of the financial year, so that we don’t have to return it. It is very good that the minister has assured us that the money will be paid,” said Mr Pesa. “Why for example would a chief principal who retired ten years ago get Sh12,000 in pension, whereas a P1 teacher who retired a few years ago, gets Sh15,000 in pension. We must look at these disparities,” the Migori MP added. Mr Pesa said the police and the military, plus other civil servants, also had problems accessing their pension. He said for the teachers the Treasury should pay Sh3.34 billion in the 2012-2013 financial year and said that the government should pay the lumpsum balance of Sh10.4 billion in the 2013-2014 financial year. “The teachers should know that the money will be paid directly to their bank accounts. Any lawyer who goes round trying to tell them to sign anywhere is a fraud,” said Mr Pesa.

 

Education assistant minister Calist Mwatela. Parliament approved a resolution calling on the government to release Sh3.34 billion in pension and gratuity arrears for retired teachers June 6, 2012  

By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU ashiundu@ke.nationmedia.com

Thousands of retired teachers got a reprieve Wednesday after Parliament approved a resolution calling on the government to release Sh3.34 billion in pension and gratuity arrears.

The House resolution will see 31,082 retirees paid their dues after spending the early years of their retirement in penury.

The Ministry of Education, through its assistant minister Calist Mwatela, told MPs that the money had already been set aside and there was no reason why the Controller of Budget was putting roadblocks on what was essentially a court award.

“Anybody pretending to be withholding pension money should have gone to court, because it is illegal not to pay pension. I fully agree with this House that the teachers should be paid now,” said Mr Mwatela.

The teachers had already been paid their pensions based on the last salary they earned before retirement. They subsequently went to court to have their salary matter adjudicated because the 1997 salary agreement captured in the Legal Notice No.534 of 1997 had not been honoured by the Moi regime

In 2003, the Kibaki Administration negotiated another agreement with the teachers, which has been fully implemented. The court therefore entered judgment in the teachers’ favour. But there was a legal hitch when it came to paying the money this year. Under the new dispensation, any amounts of money must be authorised by the Controller of Budget.

The Controller of Budget, Agnes Odhiambo, said she will not approve any withdrawal of the amount until she gets a legal opinion from the Attorney-General on how the court case hems in with the Pensions Act.

Teachers suffering

On Wednesday, Mr Mwatela added: “It is not right for a person to work for so long the way these teachers did and the end of it all, they have to run around looking for their pensions."

John Pesa (Migori) said teachers were suffering yet the Treasury had already agreed on how the payments will be made.

“The money is there; it was voted in this House and it is with the Treasury. We want it paid before the end of the financial year, so that we don’t have to return it. It is very good that the minister has assured us that the money will be paid,” said Mr Pesa.

“Why for example would a chief principal who retired ten years ago get Sh12,000 in pension, whereas a P1 teacher who retired a few years ago, gets Sh15,000 in pension. We must look at these disparities,” the Migori MP added.

Mr Pesa said the police and the military, plus other civil servants, also had problems accessing their pension. He said for the teachers the Treasury should pay Sh3.34 billion in the 2012-2013 financial year and said that the government should pay the lumpsum balance of Sh10.4 billion in the 2013-2014 financial year.

“The teachers should know that the money will be paid directly to their bank accounts. Any lawyer who goes round trying to tell them to sign anywhere is a fraud,” said Mr Pesa.