After two and half decades in office, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Trans Nzoia officials were all thrown out of office during the branch elections held over the weekend at Kitale Primary School.
The wind of change only spared the Organizing Secretary Francis Wanyoike out of the entire branch steering committee which was replaced by fresh blood aimed at injecting Gen-Z styled leadership in the union.
The branch elections that were witnessed by the KUPPET national Vice-Chairman Julius Korir, show the new team led by Executive Secretary Dan Kutai and Chairman Paul Weyama clinch the branch leadership, after about 3,000 out the registered 4500 members turned up to cast their votes for the next five-year mandate of leaders in office.
Former Executive Secretary Furaha Lusweti and Chairman Eliud Wafula who were the pioneers of KUPPET branch since the splitting from KNUT twenty five years ago did not defend their seats after attaining the official retirement age of 60.
Other elected officials were Ken Prichani from Kabuyefwe Boys Secondary School as Treasurer after beating Maxwell Nyangeri, Geoffrey Walubengo from AIC Kibomet senior school floored Martin Wafula for the Assistant Executive Secretary seat.
Phillip Kibet got Vice- Chairman slot, Cecilia Nasimiyu Secondary Senior Schools, Secretary Tertiary Charles Nalianya, Secondary Gender Getry Injinia and Secretary JSS Aaron Mukhwana.
ALSO READ:
Celebrities champion powerful TV literacy push through Read Along Hour Kenya
The Kuppet polls though falling slightly below reaching out for the gender rule requirement saw the seats being distributed fairly to all the five Sub-counties – Kiminini, Trans East, Endebess, Kwanza and Trans West.
For example while the Executive Secretary Dan Kutai comes from Osorongai Senior School in Trans East, the chair Paul Weyama was picked from St Teresa’s Bikeke Boys, Organizing Secretary Francis Wanyoike from St Anthony’s Boys, Vice- Chairman Phillip Kibet was drawn from the Trans Nzoia Senior Mixed School from Trans West Sub-county as Gertry Injinia from St Paul’s Sinoko.
The Weyama/Kutai team also ensured that at least the local communities had a representative to the top management of the KUPPET leadership to reflect on the cosmopolitanism of the county.
According to the Principal of St Veronica Chepkuka Senior Mixed School Patrick Simiyu, the members felt the officials in their old ages had let them down hence the need to embrace the new blood.
“They wanted to do things differently. The leadership was long overdue. They had proved to themselves they are not just teachers but leaders able to do things for themselves,” Simiyu added.
As the Weyama- Kutai team settles down, teachers’ hopes are high. They want their contributions to the union channeled properly, the revamping of the burial and benevolent kitty, and end to invasion of their payslips.
They are also seeking for a single medical scheme and reinstalling of new leadership at the KUPPET national leadership.
By Abisai Amugune
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
>>> Click here to stay ahead with the latest national news.
