Transfer us to safer areas, non local teachers in Hulugho plead

Non-local teachers working in Hulugho Sub County, Garissa County, have appealed to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Ministry of Education to relocate them to safer areas

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Their appeal following the killing of a colleague by suspected Al-Shabaab militants earlier this week.

Stephen Musili, a teacher at Hulugho Primary School, was shot dead at dawn on Monday in an attack that also claimed the life of area chief Abdifatar Gani.

Speaking to journalists in Garissa town, distraught teachers who fled Hulugho after the incident expressed frustration, saying that the TSC had failed to respond to their security concerns nearly five days after the attack, despite the area being known for insecurity.

The teachers, who have been camping outside the TSC offices in Garissa since Monday, insisted they would not return to Hulugho, citing fears for their safety following repeated militant attacks in the area.

Led by Meshark Makwara of Hulugho Comprehensive School, the teachers urged their employer to grant them compassionate leave to allow them time to recover from the traumatic experience, as the commission considers their request for redeployment.

“We have been at the TSC offices in Garissa since Monday, but to date we have not received clear communication on whether we will be transferred to safer stations or forced to return to Hulugho, As teachers from Hulugho Sub County, we unanimously agreed that we will not go back because the area is extremely hostile and unsafe,” Makwara said.

He added that many of the teachers are deeply traumatized by the incident calling their employer body to first grant them leave so that they can regain their composure.

Makwara also appealed to the government to implement long-term measures to address insecurity facing teachers in North Eastern Kenya, warning that continued inaction could lead to further loss of life.

“We are asking the TSC to find a permanent solution for teachers serving in Hulugho Sub County, either by transferring us to our home counties or to safer sub-counties within Garissa,” he said.

Caroline Kaluki, a teacher at Matarba Primary School Sangailu , described the region as increasingly dangerous for non-local teachers. She said teachers are often forced to walk long distances to school, exposing them to security risks.

“Every day we walk more than two kilometres from Sangailu town to our school, and sometimes we are required to report as early as 7 a.m., which is very risky. It is often said that terrorists do not target women, but there is no guarantee. We are urging the government to urgently address our concerns,” Caroline said.

Responding to claims that non-local teachers exploit staffing shortages in North Eastern Kenya to secure permanent jobs before seeking transfers elsewhere, the teachers dismissed the allegations, stating that their only concern was personal safety.

“It is unfair to claim that we come here just to get employment slots and then leave .When this term began, school heads had already planned the academic calendar, and none of us had plans to leave. The terror attack is what forced us to relocate.” Victor Onyango, also a teacher at Hulugho Comprehensive School.

He added that many teachers had served in the area for several years. “Some of us have lived here for up to seven years. According to TSC policy, a teacher is eligible for transfer after five years. The claim that we come here with the intention of running away simply does not make sense.”

The teachers further noted that after previous attacks led to a mass departure of teachers from the region, the government had assured them that security had been improved, prompting them to return. However, the latest killings have renewed fears for their lives.

Since 2014, more than 40 teachers have been reportedly killed in terror-related incidents in the North Eastern region, triggering panic, repeated teacher withdrawals, and in some cases, job abandonment.

At one point, the government was compelled to recall retired local teachers to bridge the staffing gap left by the mass exodus.

Regional political leaders have since advocated for long-term, locally driven solutions, including encouraging young people from the area to enroll in teacher training colleges to address the persistent shortage of educators.

Speaking to the press separately, Kasim Osman Roble, the Hulugho Headteacher, described the deceased teacher Stephen Musili as dedicated, punctual and most humble tutor within the institution noting that the school community has been traumatized by his brutal murder.

“We have really been affected by this incident, he was a dedicated teacher who was always in class at the right time,” he said while condoling with his family.

Roble said the deceased teacher was in school for the last three years, with two years teaching at the border school as BOM teacher; he only joined the Teachers Service Commission in January 2025.

On Tuesday, Gilbert Masengeli, the Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police Service, visited Hulugho town, where he addressed the primary school pupils and also held a security meeting with some community leaders.

Masengeli who was accompanied by Teachers Service Commission’s Antonina Lentoijoni, the director of staffing at the commission who assured the children their teachers will be returned asking them to work hard in their education.

“We are here because of you and your teachers, and everyone is concerned about what has happened, we are working to ensure your learning is not interrupted,” she said to the pupils at the school.