Modern leadership, especially within union politics, should never be mistaken for a battlefield where survival is at stake. It is not a matter of life and death. It is a sacred calling, a responsibility to serve. In our context, that service is to the teacher: the backbone of our nation and the conscience of our society.
True leadership is a gift from God. When God says yes, no human barrier can block the path. When He says no, no amount of manipulation can manufacture legitimacy. And when He says wait, wisdom demands patience. Power obtained through fear, shortcuts, or exclusion is not leadership; it is desperation in disguise.
It is therefore both troubling and ironic when leaders, in a bid to cling to office, resort to clipping voters from certain regions. Even more disturbing is the reflex response when concerns are raised, a torrent of abusive language, accusations of propaganda, and claims of malice. This approach does not defend leadership; it exposes insecurity.
Leadership that is confident in its record welcomes scrutiny; it does not silence it. A wise leader pauses, reflects, and seeks facts before speaking.
Elections, by their very nature, produce winners and losers. Only one person can hold office at a time. History reminds us that many capable and visionary leaders have stepped aside, not because they lacked support, but because life demanded otherwise. When time calls, it calls. No strategy, however clever, can overturn God’s will.
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We remain proud of our country, a nation that stands tall among the best in the world. We also take pride in our unions, which have long been pillars of democratic engagement. While democracy in some parts of Africa remains fragile, ours has endured. For this, we honour our forefathers, whose sacrifices laid the foundation for participatory governance and justice.
Today’s leaders must rise to the demands of modern democratic life. Equality, fairness, and transparency are no longer optional virtues , they are non-negotiable standards. Denying any group the right to vote is not only wrong; it is morally indefensible. Equally unacceptable is the failure by union leadership , whether at branch or national level , to release a verified voters’ register in good time.
Picture this : hundreds, even thousands, of teachers waking up before dawn. They spend their hard-earned money, leave their classrooms, and travel long distances to a polling station such as ACK Cathedral Nakuru , driven by duty, hope, and belief in the democratic process. Only to be told, upon arrival, that they are not eligible to vote.
The frustration. The humiliation. The quiet anger. This is not democracy; This is a negative exclusion.
The solution is neither complex nor controversial. Make the voters’ register public 60 days to election as per RTU’s regulations and accessible in advance. Let eligible voters plan their journey with certainty. Let those who are ineligible remain at their stations of work, contributing meaningfully elsewhere. Transparency saves time, money, dignity, and trust. More importantly, it restores faith in the system.
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A public voters’ register will reduce congestion at polling centres, eliminate idlers, and prevent unnecessary tension. But above all, it will affirm a simple truth: that leadership is earned through trust, not engineered through exclusion.
If we truly believe in our union, in our profession, and in our God, then we must choose the path of fairness. The future of leadership belongs not to those who manipulate the process, but to those who protect it.
And history, as always, will remember the difference.
By Wesley chelule
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