NAIROBI, Kenya – Teachers in Nairobi have renewed pressure on the government to recognise the capital as a hardship area, arguing that the rising cost of living and growing security risks have made teaching in the city increasingly difficult.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Nairobi branch has submitted a formal petition to Parliament, urging a review of Nairobi’s classification to reflect what it says are conditions comparable to officially designated hardship zones.
If approved, teachers in the capital would qualify for a 30 per cent hardship allowance in addition to their salaries.
For decades, Nairobi has been a preferred posting for teachers seeking transfers from remote regions due to better access to services and infrastructure.
However, the union says the city’s rapid transformation has brought new pressures that now outweigh those advantages.
According to KNUT, teachers are grappling with persistent traffic congestion, rising transport costs, political unrest, expanding informal settlements, and increased substance abuse.
The union also raised alarm over growing insecurity, particularly for teachers working in densely populated informal settlements.
“The KNUT Nairobi branch is appealing to the National Assembly, through the Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security, to recommend a review of the existing hardship areas to reflect the true reality faced by teachers in Nairobi County,” the petition reads.
Nairobi currently hosts 211 public primary schools, 107 public secondary schools and 193 junior schools attached to primary institutions.
KNUT says overcrowding, weak transport links and long, costly commutes have significantly increased the daily burden on teachers.
KNUT Nairobi Branch Executive Secretary Mugwe Macharia noted that the city was excluded from earlier hardship classifications despite mounting pressures. He said even short-distance travel within Nairobi has become financially draining for teachers.
The union further cited security concerns, including muggings, pickpocketing, violent robberies and cases of sexual assault, particularly in informal settlements where many schools are located.
In November, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku told the Senate that the government would establish a multi-agency task force to review hardship zones across the country.
He said the review aims to ensure fairness and support public officers working in genuinely challenging environments.
Hardship areas are typically defined by factors such as poor infrastructure, limited access to water and electricity, high crime rates, harsh terrain or climate, and difficulties in accessing food and essential services.
KNUT argues that recognising Nairobi as a hardship zone would offer fair compensation for teachers facing increasingly difficult working conditions, aligning the capital with other regions already classified as hardship areas.
