The Kenya Women Teachers Association (Kewota) led by its CEO Benta Opande maybe in for trouble as a section of teachers now heading to court to stop what they termed as ‘illegal’ deductions.
The group also backed by Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) members also say they will demand the Court to compel the association to refund millions of shillings it robbed from teachers payslips since 2019.
This is not the first time Kewota is facing a legal tussle and being accused of illegally and forcefully invading teachers payslips.
In January 2020, at least 54 female teachers from Kiambu went to court over what they termed as ‘’illegal Kewota deductions’’ from their employer TSC.
They accused Kewota of not following the normal procedure of getting membership.
“After its formation Kewota raided the payslip even before its official launch. Were teachers supposed to fund all their activities including the launch?” Wondered one of the teachers.
In 2019 when Kewota had its first deductions, former Knut’s Secretary-General Wilson Sossion asked the EACC and the DCI to investigate officials at the TSC for allegedly colluding with Kewota to recruit teachers without their knowledge.
“It has come to our notice that the TSC has illegally executed check-off deductions of Sh200 per female teacher from 58,000 teachers who did not at all authorise their deductions,” Mr Sossion said in a letter to the agencies dated June 20.
Sossion accused the commission of auto-loaded programmes which automatically deduct the money, without the approval of the teachers and in collusion with Kewota officials.
The then Kuppet official, Moses Nturima, termed the move by TSC an economic crime.
“The deductions are illegal and constitute economic crimes against affected teachers on the part of the employer,” he said.
Kewota’s National Treasurer Jacinta Ndegwa, however denied the allegations, saying the teachers joined the union of their own volition.
“Teachers are joining the women’s lobby group without force. They are looking at the benefits,” said Ms Ndegwa.
However according to a number of female teachers who spoke to us, said they just found out that they were being deducted sh 200 from their payslip without their consent.
They said they didn’t do anything to warrant such monthly deductions of ksh 200 from their payslip.
“I did not fill any form nor visit any Kewota office not even writing to the Commission asking to be deducted, so why am I getting this on my payslip which is already overloaded?” paused Petronilar Mwende, a victim of Kewota deductions.
The teachers said Kewota is being favoured by having its deductions booked on T-Pay portal as a loan without any documentation being scanned and uploaded.
I am behind those going to court….. I want to be explained to where I signed or filled a form to join.
Even this KNUT,I should be let to join willingly but I just found myself being deducted……too unfair.
Its true indeed,Iam a victim of the circumstance.it should be stopped. What was its purpose of formation by the way some of us are still green but our moneys are taken on monthly basis
I never joined willing,liars. I have tried to stop them in vain. They should show me where I signedto join nkt.
The employer is In agreement with KEWOTA. If not so why doesn’t she deduct from her end. Why didn’t KEWOTA seek consent from trs ..Why do we have two welfares? What’s the work of KEWOTA? Did they sell their policies to use? It is against the law to deduct money from an employee without consent. TSC is exercising dictatorship as far as this deduction is concerned
How can we be subjected to deductions without our consent?
I’m wondering because I don’t know Kewota not even their offices. I did not fill any form to join that organisation. I wrote to the TSC asking to stop the deductions but they didn’t act. Why must we be in two unions? Does it mean lady teachers are In need of advocacy from two unions.
I’m wondering because I don’t know Kewota not even their offices. I did not fill any form to join that organisation. I wrote to the TSC asking to stop the deductions but they didn’t act. Why must we be in two unions? Does it mean lady teachers are In need of advocacy from two unions.
They should stop deducting that money with immediate effect from my payslip!This is actually robbing female teachers! April payslip yangu nisiwaone hapo!
Even when you stop the transaction from payslip the following month the deduct and previous deduction doesn’t reflect , when I visited tsc headquarters they say they are not aware???? This should stop
I wish they will succeed in stopping this deduction.I never applied for it and am not interested.You stop the deduction but the following month they still deduct.Let the culprits face the rule of the law.
I also wonder how deductions are made on my pay without my consent
They’re conning us
Kewota thieves!!!! I never signed any form authorising such a deduction. Return my money you scoundrels!!!!
Kewote am a victim I never filled any form
Likewise KUSNET has robbed teachers in Special Schools and units without our consent 😭
As a matter of fact they should stop this,and refund what they deducted, again I blame knut for not being bothered on this matter yet we…so I smell a rat it either knut collude with kewota or they gave a blind eye ,but trust me ata wewe knut chako ki motoni.
I didn’t fill any form to be deducted by kewota na siitaki.They are taking our money by force.
Am personally affected by this n curse this thing called kewota for invading my payslip without my consent. Why should u cheat you did it legally?y should tsc allow this happen to its employees?we curse you kewota thieves…..we teachers are very bitter if this happening at such hard times…
Am personally affected by this n curse this thing called kewota for invading my payslip without my consent. Why should u cheat you did it legally?y should tsc allow this happen to its employees?we curse you kewota thieves…..we teachers are very bitter if this happening at such hard times…y reap where you’ve not sow?
Kewota return my cash you thieves
Same to me kewota stop your deduction in my tpay
I am also crying over the same. Emailed TSC twice and nothing was done. I never filled any form to join KIWOTA.
These are great thieves who have invaded our payslips without our permission . I am a victim of same. Tried several times to stop but never succeeded
I don’t know kewota nor do i know its offices. They started deducting without my consent despite having stopped it previously. Stop further deductions from my payslip thieves
I do not know who these KIWOTA are.I have tried many times to stop in vain.l have even written emails, nothing works.l have personally gone to TSC and was told they can’t remove it.To me this is done within the TSC.If not why was it fixed in the T-pay and with whose consent?.I back those going to the court. This is direct stealing.