KNUT Threatens Nationwide Strike Over Mandatory SHA Migration
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has vowed to call a statewide strike, potentially paralyzing school reopening in January, over plans to move teachers from their private health insurance program to the Social Health Authority.
Union officials, led by Makueni County KNUT Secretary-General Benson Ndambuki, accused the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of unfairly targeting teachers, pointing out that other state professionals continue to receive private medical coverage.
Ndambuki claimed that the planned transition to SHA was discriminatory and warned that unless the TSC addressed their concerns, teachers across the country would lay down their tools when schools reopened.
He insisted that the union would not accept what he called a forced transition to a public insurance program whose systems are yet untested and unknown to members.
Knut opposes SHA plan:
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) November 4, 2025
Coast Knut officials reject plan to force teachers to join SHA
Officials oppose plan to move teachers from Minet medical cover#CitizenBriefs pic.twitter.com/Nf2ykWlCVA
“This is an unfair move and discriminates against teachers compared to other government employees who still enjoy private cover,” Ndambuki said.
He added that the TSC had failed to engage meaningfully with the unions.
“The unions have sent me, and I want to tell you that we are rejecting the move. We do not know why they are forcing this despite our resistance to the same,” he added.
KNUT has been vocal in its opposition to the government’s plans to replace the current scheme with SHA.
Meanwhile, the TSC has summoned union leaders to a conference in Nairobi on Monday to discuss the problem and other growing concerns before reopening.
In addition, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) have received invites to a joint consultation session.
The dispute comes just months after President William Ruto instructed the Ministry of Education, the SHA, and teacher unions to collaborate on medical coverage and build a sustainable approach that assures teachers receive quality health care.
At the same time, on Friday, hundreds of junior secondary school (JSS) teachers demonstrated in Murang’a County, demanding that they be confirmed in permanent and pensionable posts prior to the school’s reopening in January 2026.
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The teachers, who were among roughly 20,000 JSS teachers recruited nationwide on an internship basis in November of last year, were assigned to schools in January 2025.
However, their one-year contracts are set to end in December, and they have received no promise that they will be hired by the government.
The protesting teachers have expressed their frustration at the delay in confirming their positions, stating that the uncertainty has thrown their lives into turmoil.
KNUT Threatens Nationwide Strike Over Mandatory SHA Migration
