By Roy Hezron
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary General Akelo Misori has confirmed that the long awaited union’s Savings and Credit Co-operative (Sacco) for its members is already registered and currently running.
According to Misori, the Sacco will be a game-changer for the union and its members.
“As a union we have registered our long-desired Sacco, Walimu Solidarity Sacco, which is already up running. Creating and launching the Sacco is a real game-changer for the union,” said Misori during the union’s 23rd Annual Delegates Conference (ADC) held in Eldoret National Polytechnic on December 18, 2021.
Creating the Sacco was among top on the manifesto of the current National Executive Board (NEB) members led by the National Chairman who is also defending his Emuhaya Member of Parliament seat in this year’s elections Hon. Omboko Milemba, and Misori when they were re-elected for another five year term by the union members.
According to the union’s NEB in their Manifesto document, the Sacco-which was as a result of converting the union’s National Governing Council Welfare Fund to a Sacco-will mobilize members’ savings, and mark a new beginning for teachers’ empowerment as the Sacco will create a special fund to cushion members during strikes.
Through the initiative, the union’s efforts of striving to empower its members to withstand strikes by creating investment vehicles to mobilize savings and resources to sustain the union during emergencies will be supplemented.
“Drawing on lessons from teachers’ unions in Ghana and Swaziland, KUPPET intends to launch a Sacco wholly bankrolled by the union.
“The Sacco will be achieved by the conversion of the National Governing Council Welfare Fund, a process which is already underway,” reads the manifesto document.
During the ADC, Misori also highlighted the recent development in carrying out institutional capacity the union has undertaken and which started in August last year, in equipping all the union officials and employees with latest skills for union leadership.
“Over the last three months, we have conducted workshops for Branch Treasurers and Assistant Treasurers, and BEC (Branch Executive Committee) members from the Coast, Eastern and Central Clusters. We have also inducted members of all union committees, which have all defined the modalities for their operations,” said Misori during the conference, whose theme was Building Resilience for Future Adaptation: Union’s Perspectives.
Misori called upon all members and its leadership to deploy their current strengths to not only meeting today’s needs, but to anticipate future trends and prepare accordingly for any challenges.
During the conference, the union held one of its ever competitive Trustees elections to fill the three positions for Central, Nairobi, Eastern Region; Coast and North Eastern Region; and Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western Region.
Mr. Jacob Karuraa was elected by members to represent Central, Nairobi, Eastern Region for the Trustee position after garnering 207 votes; his opponents Yvonne Musyoka who bagged 187 votes and Framwel Nyaga who only secured 45 votes.
In Coast and North Eastern Region, the competition for electing a trustee for that region was very stiff whereby Mr. Ali Bash who garnered 168 votes emerged the winner in a competitive contest that attracted about 6 candidates who included Ummi Wando Maloma who got 26 votes, Shedrack Mutungi 52 votes, Yusuf Abdullah Mohamed 65 votes, Lynnette Kamadi 44 votes, and Claudia Timothy 82 votes.
Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western Region will now be represented by Mr. Charles Mukhwana who emerged the winner in that region with 186 votes, beating William Lengoyiap (136 votes), Lusweti Furaha (39 votes), Saruni Tasur (25 votes) and Dherok Peter Ochieng Omolo (49 votes).
“Let me also take this opportunity to congratulate our new Trustees-for winning their seats. Without any doubt, this was the most competitive Trustees’ election I have seen in KUPPET. We in the NEB look forward to working with you as you discharge your constitutional mandate of safeguarding the union’s assets and properties over the next five years,” said Misori.
The union’s National elections is never complete without the Trustee office bearers being put in place, whereby under the union’s constitution requires the trustees be elected in the first ADC after the general elections.
The election was supposed to be held in 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The union has Four Trustees; three elected at the Delegates’ Conference after five years. The fourth slot is for the founder Secretary General and main promoter Tom Chariga who serves currently as permanent trustee of the union.
The three elected trustees are:
- Jacob Karuraa
- Ali Bash
- Charles Mukhwana
