At least 61 teachers in Nyandarua County have applied for transfers following rising political tension linked to the upcoming Ol Kalou by-election.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) says the educators, many of whom are non-Kikuyus, have faced intimidation and ethnic profiling during the heated campaign period.
According to KUPPET officials, the situation has created a climate of fear among the teachers, with some reporting threats and hostility from the constituency.
The union claims that things got out of hand after local leaders warned “outsiders” against interfering with the voting process or influencing the outcome of the by-election.
KUPPET National Chairman Omboko Milemba has urged the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to take immediate action to protect affected teachers.
He is calling for the evacuation and relocation of all non-local teachers from Nyandarua County if the hostile rhetoric continues.
“The safety of teachers must come first. No educator should be subjected to intimidation or discrimination based on ethnicity or political affiliation,” Milemba said.
The union has also called on the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and the police to investigate and prosecute politicians spreading hate speech and inciting divisions.
KUPPET warns that failure to act swiftly could disrupt learning in the region and further inflame ethnic tensions ahead of the by-election.
The IEBC has officially cleared nine candidates to contest in the upcoming by-election, scheduled for July 16, 2026.
Among the major contenders vying for the seat are Samuel Muchina Nyaga, who will be flying the flag of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Sammy Kamau Ngotho representing the Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP), and Wilson Kigwa, who has been nominated by the Jubilee Party.
