ECDE Officers Cry Foul Over Devolution as Senate Probes Salary Freeze, Pension Losses

 A 2015 devolution transition involving Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) officers has come under fresh scrutiny after 313 former Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employees told the Senate they were left trapped in a legal and financial limbo after being transferred to county governments.

The officers, who appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare on Thursday, September 10, 2026, said the transition disrupted their salaries, career progression and retirement benefits.

The petition, presented by lead petitioner Peter Makara, challenges the recategorisation of the 313 ECDE programme officers who moved from TSC to county governments following the devolution of ECDE functions.

The officers were initially trained teachers employed by TSC on permanent and pensionable terms before being appointed as ECDE programme officers under the Ministry of Education.

According to the petitioners, their transfer to counties came with a major setback in their employment terms, particularly after TSC issued what they described as “last pay certificates”.

The certificates, they argued, effectively froze their pension records at 2015 and denied them subsequent national salary reviews and promotions.

‘We have had a salary freeze since 2015’

Makara told the committee that the officers had gone more than a decade without meaningful career progression.

“Since 2015 we have not had any promotions other than just the normal annual increments. We have had a salary freeze,” he said.

The dispute centres partly on a TSC release letter issued during the transition. The letter indicated that TSC would continue paying the officers until June 30, 2015, after which county governments would assume responsibility for the function and their terms of service.

It also gave the officers an option to remain under TSC as teachers and seek deployment.

Some senators interpreted the provision as evidence that the officers voluntarily chose to move to county governments.

However, one retired ECDE officer strongly disputed that interpretation, describing the letter as “very malicious” and insisting that remaining in county employment was not a choice she freely made.

Retiree reveals pension disparity

The impact of the transition, the officers told senators, has extended into retirement.

One retired ECDE officer said she retired on a basic salary of KSh67,000 but currently receives a monthly pension of only KSh35,000.

By comparison, she said a colleague who remained under TSC retired on a basic salary of KSh64,000 and receives approximately KSh47,000 in monthly pension.

She further told the committee that Treasury officials had acknowledged problems with her records but directed her back to TSC for corrections.

Confusion over pension schemes

The officers also raised concerns over the pension arrangements introduced after the transfer to county governments.

Some counties enrolled ECDE officers into contributory pension schemes, including CPF and LAPTRUST, while others reportedly told officers they could not join because they were still members of the national non-contributory pension scheme.

The conflicting arrangements have raised fears that some retirees could be forced to navigate different pension systems because of how the 2015 transition was handled.

Senate summons key institutions

The Senate committee, chaired by Senator Julius Murgor, said the matter appeared to extend beyond an individual county and required answers from institutions involved in the devolution transition.

Committee members resolved to invite the Teachers Service Commission, Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee, Council of Governors, Retirement Benefits Authority, Director of Pensions at the National Treasury and representatives of county pension funds.

The institutions will be expected to explain how the ECDE officers were transitioned and what measures can now be taken to address the alleged loss of salary progression, pension rights, gratuity and career benefits.

Senators stressed that the objective was not to reverse devolution but to establish what went wrong during the transition and identify practical remedies.

Officers hope for justice

For the affected ECDE officers, many of whom say they have repeatedly petitioned Parliament over the matter, the Senate hearing has renewed hopes of a resolution.

Makara expressed optimism that the committee would help address their grievances. 

“We believe that this is the right place where our prayers have been received and heard,” he said, adding that they were positive senators would assist them.

The Senate inquiry could now determine whether the 2015 transition left hundreds of ECDE officers disadvantaged and whether their pensions, years of service and employment benefits can be recalculated or restored.

For the affected officers, the question is no longer simply about devolution—it is about whether the decade-old transition cost them careers and retirement benefits they had already earned.