- KEWOTA denied the fraud allegations, calling them baseless and a malicious attempt to damage its reputation
- Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, the Executive Director of KEWOTA, Benter Opande, claimed that the allegations of favoritism are false and demanded accountability for the unproven allegations.
- He opened up about the source of the allegations as KEWOTA seeks legal action against those who spread baseless allegations
The Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA) has ignored allegations that it is defrauding women teachers through illegal and unauthorized monthly deductions.
Source: Facebook
The chief executive officer of KEWOTA, Benter Opande, said that the disclosure named ‘Salary Theft’, aired by the local media, was not only misleading but also failed to capture the full and correct context of the things disclosed.
The answer came amid anger among teachers who denied knowing about KEWOTA and salary deductions. Some teachers demanded a thorough investigation into how KEWOTA officials obtained their data.
“First, we want to say, without fear of contradiction at all, that the claims spread there are not only baseless but organized fabrications, organized by ignoring the truth, professional ethics, and the law,” he said in a press release signed by the chairman of KEWOTA, Modesta Akaki.
“KEWOTA sees this as a deliberate and malicious strategy intended to damage its reputation, weaken its leadership, and reduce public confidence in its activities. Such conduct is not only reprehensible but can also be dealt with legally,” Akaki added.
Did Betty Opande employ her KEWOTA relatives?
The leaders affirmed KEWOTA’s role in promoting the well-being, professional growth, and rights of women teachers in Kenya, as well as its consistent contributions to capacity building, mentoring, and advocacy within the education sector.
KEWOTA warned that underestimating his contributions without evidence risks misleading the public and undermining trust in important institutions.
While acknowledging that there may be concerns about governance, financial management, or operational conduct, the agency emphasized that such issues should be addressed through appropriate legal and institutional mechanisms.
“Publicizing allegations without due process not only harms the organization but can also be defamatory if the allegations are found to be unfounded,” the statement added.
According to the disclosure, nepotism plays an important role in the organization’s leadership, with Opande accused of employing more than 10 relatives who pocket at least KSh 2.5 million every month with KEWOTA’s treasurer, bringing in six relatives.
Opande has strongly denied the allegations.
“They are all lies. The documents are fabricated. The lists were of people who were not employed there. They are not true. Employment in KEWOTA is procedural and merit is important. That is very important because our employees are Kenyans and they have rights. However, the information available is misleading and largely untrue,” he told TUKO.co.ke.
Source: Facebook
Opande explained that in 2019, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) introduced T-Pay, a digital system that allows teachers to authorize deductions from their pay slips to any third party, including unions, banks, insurance, SACCOSand parties like KEWOTA.
According to him, teachers use a secret password to access third-party websites to become members, thereby eliminating paperwork.
He emphasized that no one can deduct money from teachers’ payslips without permission, as they have sole control and can withdraw from any third party at any time.
“Therefore, it is false information to say that they cannot leave. I can confirm that in the month of March, more than 500 teachers left our website either through withdrawal or voluntarily,” he said.
Was ‘Wage Theft’ KEWOTA invented?
A few days before the media announced the allegations, KEWOTA issued a notice to one of the people responsible for the disclosure, Peter Amunga, asking him and his associates to stop publishing or distributing any more of his confidential information.
In the alleged response, Amunga admitted that ‘his claims were unsubstantiated, misleading, and motivated by malice.’
“The notice of request reached me when I appeared in a recorded interview two weeks ago. I conducted the interview based on the reports given to me by a former employee of KEWOTA and I had already published pieces, photos, and various information that have been contested by KEWOTA,” he said.
Amunga said that he deleted his posts and asked the media to refrain from using his opinion or picture, but I was informed that his request was overtaken by events.
He went further and urged the public to consider the revelations unverified.
“So I want to inform my readers that I had not confirmed what I said, what I wrote, or what I published. I apologize and withdraw,” he said.
Who was responsible for ‘Salary Theft’ KEWOTA?
Documents obtained by TUKO.co.ke claimed that the CEO’s former driver and head of security, who was not satisfied with his sacking and facing possible criminal charges, has started a campaign of revenge against KEWOTA and its CEO, Opande.
The suspect’s employment was legally terminated in October 2025 due to allegations and investigations of theft and fraud against the organization.
“…It was through abusing this position of trust that he organized and obtained an amount of approximately KSh 7,000,000 through false pretenses, thereby increasing the gravity of his misconduct and establishing a clear link between his previous actions and the current malicious campaign…” read the petition addressed to the director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigation.
“He is my former driver, who we sacked for defrauding us of over KSh 11 million. He is fighting. He is funded by someone who says he will finish me by supporting Wilson Sossion. And they chose the worst blogger, Amunga,” Opande told TUKO.co.ke.
Interestingly, the former employee had previously threatened the CEO, leading to his arrest. However, he apologized before later claiming coercion.
At the same time, KEWOTA, through its lawyers, requested it DCI investigate the roles of persons found guilty in the purchase, possession, and distribution of illegal information and identify and take action against all paid bloggers who spread unverified content.
“KEWOTA’s counsel has received firm and unequivocal instructions to initiate civil proceedings against the parties, seeking exemplary damages for defamation, reputational injury, and consequential loss,” Akaki said.
Source: Facebook
Affirming KEWOTA’s commitment to maintaining integrity, transparency, and the rule of law, Akaki said that the organization ‘will not be intimidated, intimidated, or distracted by organized lies.’
Nakuru water officer arrested for accepting bribe
In other news, an employee of the Clean Water and Wastewater Company Nakuru (NAWASCO) was arrested while accepting a bribe of KSh 15,000 from a member of the public who had reported the attempted fraud to the authorities.
Further searches by EACC officers revealed an additional KSh 100,000 hidden inside the suspect’s socks, and another KSh 18,000 in his pocket, drawing attention to the case.
The suspect was released on KSh 20,000 cash bail pending police investigation into the case.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
