The opposition launched a paybill number for Kenyans yesterday to help in raising funds for striking teachers in order to end the education crisis that has befall the public sector since the teachers went on strike at the beginning of this month.

Cord leaders announced the move at a public rally held at Uhuru Park yesterday whose aim was to show solidarity to the teachers who have refused to call off their strike until their pay hike demands are implemented. And also to mount more pressure on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration to implement the teachers’ salary hike as awarded by the Industrial Court in July.

“We have opened an M-Pesa pay bill account called ‘Solidarity Account’ whose paybill number is 672672 to support teachers. I have already put in Ksh. 100,000 and my brother Kalonzo has also raised Ksh. 100,000. I ask Kenyans to give anything, even 50 shillings to help out,” Raila said.

Kenyans have however criticized the move as a “hopeless solution” with critics terming it as “Cord’s plot to raise campaign funds for the 2017 elections” with others arguing that the opposition lacked an agenda and the rally was an effort to gain some political mileage.