Teachers chant ‘tutam’ as Ruto promises them 20 per cent of affordable houses
By Steve Ireri, September 13, 2025Teachers repeatedly chanted “tutam” in unison during their meeting with President William Ruto at State House on Saturday, September 13, 2025, as they welcomed his pledge to allocate them a share of the government’s Affordable Housing Programme.
The chants followed after they were greeted with the call ‘Harambee’, with the teachers responding loudly and with zeal to show their approval.
A Facebook livestream by President William Ruto captured the educators, drawn from different unions, waving their hands as they joined in the tutam chants while the State House event gathered momentum.
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The chants followed just minutes after the head of state said he would sign an MoU that will ensure teachers receive 20 per cent of the Affordable Housing Project.
“Today we are going to sign an MoU so that teachers can get 20 per cent of all the housing we are constructing,” Ruto said.
Patriots
Ruto, in a post on his official X account, also hailed the meeting, noting that teachers are Kenya’s greatest resource and patriots who dedicate extra hours to shaping the destiny of children.
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He said the country is indebted to these heroes and affirmed his government’s commitment to supporting education as a foundation for national transformation.
“Teachers are Kenya’s greatest resource and patriots. They spend extra hours shaping the destiny of our children. We are indebted to these heroes,” he wrote.
The president revealed that he met over 10,000 teachers during the event, where he reiterated the government’s resolve to strengthen the teaching profession and improve welfare.
He outlined key achievements made in the education sector, noting that in the last three years the education budget has risen from Ksh540 billion to Ksh702 billion, the largest increase in Kenya’s history.
“At State House, met over 10,000 teachers and reaffirmed our commitment to supporting our education to produce a more competent workforce to drive our transformation. In the last three years, we have increased the education budget from Sh540 Billion to Sh702 Billion, the largest increase in our history.”
Ruto added that his administration has addressed concerns around the Competency-Based Curriculum by injecting clarity and ensuring a smoother transition.
He pointed out that the government has recruited 76,000 teachers in the past three years and plans to expand this to 100,000 by January to reduce the teacher-student ratio.
“We have also addressed concerns over the Competency-Based Curriculum, injecting clarity and smooth transition and hired 76,000 teachers. We will enhance this figure to 100,000 by January to boost the teacher-student ratio.”