Safina Deputy Party Leader, Willis Otieno, has accused the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of quietly deducting an extra Sh108 from teachers’ June PAYE without notice, explanation, or public communication.
He claims the cumulative impact could reach about Sh32.4 million across more than 300,000 teachers, raising concerns over transparency, accountability, and trust in public payroll administration and salary management systems.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, Otieno argued that while the deduction may appear minor at the individual level, its impact becomes significant when applied across the national teaching workforce.
"On paper, it may look small. But multiply it across over 300,000 teachers, and you are looking at about Sh32.4 million moved in silence within a single month," he stated.
The calculation has drawn attention to how small payroll changes, when scaled across large public sector workforces, can amount to substantial sums without formal explanation to affected employees.
The Safina Deputy Party Leader further warned that such practices risk undermining confidence in public institutions, arguing that repeated unexplained deductions can erode trust over time.
"This is how distrust is built in public systems: not through one big scandal, but through small, repeated, unexplained deductions that land on payslips like surprise taxes from nowhere."
Otieno's remarks come amid increase in PAYE deductions for TSC teachers’ June 2026 salaries, being not a new standalone tax but a marginal adjustment arising from routine payroll recalculations under Kenya’s Pay As You Earn system.
According to reports, the variation appeared in June payslips processed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), with teachers noting higher income tax deductions despite no corresponding salary increment.
The adjustment is linked to updated tax computations on earnings following statutory changes and payroll reprocessing rather than a separately introduced levy.
Teachers’ unions have questioned the timing and lack of prior communication, arguing that the deduction was implemented without clear explanation or breakdown on payslips.
The increase, was applied during June payroll processing, affecting net pay across the workforce and triggering calls for greater transparency from TSC.
Onwards, Willis Otieno also linked the issue to broader working conditions faced by teachers across the country.
He noted that educators are already dealing with significant challenges in their profession, saying: "Teachers are already carrying overcrowded classrooms, delayed reforms, and stretched salaries. They should not also be decoding mystery deductions at the end of every month."
The statement highlights concerns that financial uncertainty may add to existing pressures within the education sector.
Otieno urged the Teachers Service Commission to improve transparency and communication in its payroll processes, insisting that deductions should never be implemented without clear explanation.
"TSC must stop treating transparency as optional. If money is being deducted, the reason must be clear, public, and upfront. Anything less is administrative arrogance dressed as routine payroll management."
His remarks call for stronger accountability mechanisms to ensure that all salary changes are properly communicated to affected employees.
While his argument remain political statements made on social media, it has amplified calls for clearer salary breakdowns and more open communication between employers and public servants.