President Ruto Announces Teaching Vacancies for Akorino Members

President William Ruto has promised to end the discrimination of the Akorino church members owing to their distinctive religious practices and culture.

The church dates back to the colonial times, and came up as an establishment against the colonialists.

On Sunday, April 12, the president hosted the faithful of the church at State House Nairobi for a thanksgiving service.

Speaking at the service, the president noted that successive regimes post-independence have been overlooking the Akorino sect, discriminating against its members in social-economic engagements owing to their beliefs, way of life and even their dressing.

He vowed to incorporate them in government, noting that there are many Akorinos who are professionals in various fields, including doctors, engineers and even teachers.

According to the president, no one should be judged by their belief or what they wear, promising to employ them in government posts.

"I have recognised members of the Akorino church as faithful people who trust in God. And since you have asked me to include you in leadership, in various capacities, I am going to do that...no one should be discriminated against because they wear a turban. It is a cloth like any other. Matters of religion are in the heart, while competence and know-how are in the head. Within two weeks, I will bring you into government to help me serve Kenyans," he said.

He said he had encountered professionals drawn from the Akorino sect, and they had proven beyond any reasonable doubt that they can deliver in the capacities they are entrusted with.

Ruto noted that teachers employed from the community had proven competence, promising to add 50 more teaching vacancies reserved for the Akorinos.

"I am impressed, and I have received positive reports about the teachers we employed. Because you have done a good job, I will add 50 more positions for you. Bring your children so that we can employ them as teachers," he said.

The president tasked Deputy Head of Public Service Amos Gatheca with ensuring the vacancies are fairly distributed across the Akorino community from various parts of the country.

Ruto said their employment would be formalised quickly to allow them to start work in the second term of this year's academic calendar.

"It should be planned by next week. We should get their details so that they can start teaching our children from next month," Ruto directed.

This came weeks after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) extended the deadline for registered teachers who are not currently employed by the commission to update their records.

In a notice issued on March 31, the commission stated that the exercise, which began on March 4 and was initially set to close on March 16, would run until April 7.

TSC explained that the nationwide data update was intended to strengthen workforce planning by establishing the demand and supply of qualified teachers, which would guide future recruitment and policy decisions. 

Teachers were required to submit details such as qualifications, subject specialisations, and training levels through the TSC website under the “Online services menu teacher profile update.”

The commission assured that all information collected would be processed and stored in line with the Data Protection Act and its Privacy Notice, emphasising that the updated records would be handled securely.