NAIROBI, Kenya- National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has revealed that some Members of Parliament receive Teachers Service Commission (TSC) appointment letters at State House for distribution to teachers in their constituencies, raising fresh questions over the recruitment of public school teachers.
Wetang’ula said some MPs accompanying him to State House are handed batches of TSC appointment letters by President William Ruto.
According to the Speaker, an MP can receive as many as 10 letters, which are then expected to be given to successful teacher applicants.
Wetang’ula made the remarks while addressing residents in Bungoma on Saturday, August 22, as he campaigned for President Ruto’s re-election in the 2027 General Election.
“There are some of our Members of Parliament whom I take to State House to see President William Ruto, and then the President gives them ten TSC letters each which they are supposed to bring to teachers so that they are officially employed by the government,” Wetang’ula said.
The Speaker went on to accuse some MPs of selling the letters to desperate job seekers, saying some allegedly demand as much as Sh400,000 for an appointment.
He condemned the alleged practice, saying it was unfair to Kenyans struggling to secure employment.
Wetang’ula cited the case of a night nurse who, he said, would be unable to raise such an amount to secure a teaching job for a family member.
“If someone is struggling, you are a night nurse, and you ask her for Sh400,000 to give her child a teacher’s letter, where will she get that money?” he said, describing the practice as immoral.
Wetang’ula did not name the MPs he accused of selling the letters. He also did not provide details of specific transactions or say whether the allegations had been formally reported for investigation.
His remarks are significant because they appear to provide a senior insider account of how some TSC appointment letters are allegedly being distributed through political channels.
The revelations have also revived concerns about the independence of the teacher recruitment process.
The TSC’s established recruitment procedure requires vacancies to be advertised, applications submitted, candidates shortlisted and interviews conducted before successful applicants are appointed.
The controversy follows earlier remarks by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who alleged that TSC appointment letters were being channelled to MPs for distribution in their constituencies.
Wetang’ula’s remarks have now added weight to the political debate over the issue, although the Speaker’s account differs from a formal confirmation by TSC that its recruitment system is being bypassed.
Teacher representatives have called for the allegations to be investigated, arguing that public employment should be based on merit rather than political connections.
The latest revelations are likely to intensify scrutiny of the TSC, the Executive and MPs over how teaching jobs are allocated, particularly at a time when thousands of qualified teachers remain on the waiting list for permanent employment.
