Narc Kenya presidential aspirant Martha Karua on Monday pledged to 'deal honestly' with teachers should she be elected president in the forthcoming General Election.

Speaking during a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Nairobi, Ms Karua has said teachers are among civil servants who have been taken for a ride by subsequent governments and they deserve more respect.

“An honest government needs to deal honestly with its people. There is no need of promising things that we cannot do, but instead agree on those we can do,” she said.

She took issue with the government over unpaid arrears owed to retired teachers, which they were promised last year.

“I asked a supplementary question in parliament last year and the minister for Education confirmed that retired teachers would be paid their arrears by Christmas, 2011. We are now approaching Christmas 2012 and they are yet to be paid. That is not honourable,” she said.
Ms Karua had earlier held a closed door meeting with Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) executive officials led by their Chairman Wilson Sossion.

Retired teachers, backed by Knut have been pushing the government to release over Sh101 billion in pensions owed to them.

Although the Knut officials left without addressing the press, Ms Karua said they had made a courtesy call during which they discussed “matters of mutual interest”.

She said the teachers union is not the only professional body they are dealing with to discuss what they can do together for the country.

“I am seeking support from people of all walks of life, but this was not a campaign rally. It was a courtesy call,” she said.

Concerning the two-thirds majority Bill that was suspended by the Supreme Court to take effect after the elections, she said the whole country stands to lose if it will not be effected.

“I am hoping that one day we will have a Supreme Court which will interpret the Constitution in the manner required. When you say that the legislation on gender inclusivity will take effect in 2015, then, you are not helping progressive implementation because you have postponed implementation,” she said.

According to Ms Karua, some measures for partial implementation should have been provided for progressive constitutional implementation instead of providing a different date which she regards as a postponement of rights.