Aspirants for various positions in the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Murang’a branch has protested the suspension of the county elections through a court order, demanding that the polls proceed as scheduled on Saturday, January 17.
Addressing the press on Tuesday, the teachers said the court order halting the elections has caused frustration and uncertainty among aspirants and union members, warning that the delay undermines democratic rights and erodes confidence in union leadership.
KUPPET Murang’a branch chairperson aspirant Suleiman Salim strongly condemned the suspension, saying the move denies teachers a critical opportunity to participate in union democracy.
“Stopping these elections is denying us our democratic right. The elections must go on as scheduled,” Salim said.
He noted that many teachers are prepared to vote and have already made arrangements to participate in the exercise. Salim added that the aspirants intend to move to court to overturn the order, which was issued on January 9 and served on Monday.
Another aspirant for the chairperson position, Dominic Gitau, said the decision had demoralised teachers who had invested significant time, energy and resources in their campaigns.
Gitau said many candidates had reorganised their teaching timetables and personal commitments in readiness for the elections, which are meant to usher in new leadership at the county branch.
“We have sacrificed our time and prepared adequately, yet our elections have been stopped while other counties have already concluded theirs,” Gitau said.
He questioned the motive behind the court action, alleging that it was intended to sabotage the electoral process and disrupt unity among teachers.
Gitau claimed that the member who moved to court had no valid reason and was being influenced by individuals fearful of facing the electorate.
“I believe he is being used by unknown individuals to cause mayhem and chaos to ensure these elections do not take place,” he said.
Another aspirant, Polycarp Muriithi, also faulted the suspension, describing it as a setback to the growing recognition of Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers within the education sector.
Muriithi called for the autonomy of JSS from the primary school system, arguing that the unique roles and responsibilities of JSS teachers require independent representation within the union.
He said continued linkage of JSS teachers to primary school structures weakens their voice and limits their participation in key union decision-making processes.
“Junior secondary schools must be treated as a distinct entity with their own representation,” Muriithi said.
He further stressed the need for full inclusion of JSS teachers in the union’s electoral processes, noting that many feel sidelined despite being members of KUPPET.
According to Muriithi, excluding JSS teachers from voting contradicts the principles of fairness, inclusivity and representation that the union stands for.
“All JSS teachers must be included in the election register as eligible voters so that they can bring in new leadership that understands their challenges,” he said.
Meanwhile, aspirant representing persons with disabilities, Stellah Gakii, decried the financial and emotional strain caused by the postponement of the elections.
Gakii said candidates had spent considerable resources on campaigns in good faith, with the expectation that the elections would be conducted on the agreed date.
“We have used a lot of our resources campaigning in good faith, and postponing the elections is unfair to us,” she said.
She added that prolonged delays interfere with teachers’ core responsibilities, noting that educators must balance union activities with their professional duty to learners.
“We need these elections conducted on January 17 because we also have students to attend to and other professional responsibilities,” Gakii said.
The aspirants have now appealed to the KUPPET national leadership and relevant authorities to urgently resolve the impasse. They insisted that allowing the elections to proceed as scheduled will restore confidence, unity and normalcy within the Murang’a branch.
They warned that continued delays could deepen divisions within the union and weaken its ability to effectively represent teachers’ interests at both county and national levels.
By Bernard Munyao
