The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Rachuonyo branch has ushered into office new officials after a hotly contested election Saturday.
Rose Aoko Otieno trounced Patrick Were Onyango to become the new Executive Secretary. She garnered 1,078 votes against Were’s 748 votes. Were was the former branch chairman who contested for the executive secretary’s seat.
The former Executive Secretary, Eliud Mbori, who held the seat for two consecutive terms retired and was not eligible to defend the seat.
In the chairperson’s seat, which attracted two contestants in the branch’s general election held at the Rachuonyo North Sub-County DCC compound at Kendu Bay, Kennedy Okuyo Omondi got 1,049 votes, ahead of his competitor Joshua Okinda, who received 763 votes.
Isaiah Awendo received 982 votes to clinch the treasurer’s seat, beating his challenger, Samwel Otieno Mireri, who received 856 votes, successfully defending the seat he has held for two terms.
The Assistant Secretary position went to Jared Asati, who received 930 votes against Peter Ochieng Nyang’iya, who got 921 votes.
The vice chairperson’s seat attracted three contestants and leading the trio was Moses Otieno Abot with 816 votes, followed by Judith Odhiambo with 568 votes and lastly Lucas Odhiambo Ondiek with 345 votes.
Presiding officer Kullow Mohamed Sheikh, who is the KNUT National Assistant Treasurer, lauded the teachers for turning out in large numbers to participate in the election.
He said the election process had started at 8.00 without any hitch. “Our teachers turned out in large numbers and as KNUT, we are impressed because this is how the union should be; the members love it,” he said.
The official said the election was very peaceful, “and I want to thank the members of the security committees of this subcounty, beginning with the DCC, ACC, OCPD and his team, for they really maintained law and order and we are very grateful as a union.”
Kullow congratulated the winners, saying the teachers have spoken through the ballot and that the exercise was very competitive but the members have made their decision.
“This was the branch with a hotly contested election so I congratulate the winners and want them to honour the pledges they made to the members during campaign and I want them to portray that trust as they work for the teachers,” he said almost 3,000 teachers turned out for the election but some were turned away from voting because they are not members of KNUT.
“I encourage the teachers not yet members of the union to join us so that they can vote next time,” the Presiding Officer said.
By Moseti Julius
