Uhuru enjoys Italian hospitality as teachers strike bites
President Uhuru Kenyatta was on Tuesday hosted at Palace of the Presidency (Plazzo del Quirinale) in Rome, as Kenyan children stayed out of schools for the second week due to the ongoing strike by teachers.
President Kenyatta was hosted by Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the palace that is ranked the ninth largest in the world.
He was accompanied in the visit by Cabinet Secretaries Amina Mohamed, Adan Mohammed, Joseph Nkaiserry and Attorney General Githu Muigai.
The visit coincides with a debilitating teachers’ strike back home that has seen children denied education for two weeks.
The President has preferred to delegate management of the crisis to his deputy William Ruto, who was said to have held a crisis meeting with officials from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and Ministry of Education on Tuesday.
Education Secretary Prof Jacob Kaimenyi confirmed on Wednesday that consultations are ongoing to end the stalemate.
He however declined to confirm whether there was a meeting between the ministry, TSC and the deputy President in an attempt to end the stalemate.
The teachers’ unions insist on being awarded a pay rise of between 50 to 60 per cent before they can return to work.
National examinations for secondary school candidates are scheduled to start next month, and the one for primary school candidates a month later.