Newly released pre-election survey results indicate that incumbent KUPPET Kericho Branch Executive Secretary Mary Rotich is headed for a decisive victory as the union prepares for its upcoming elections.
The poll shows Rotich enjoying overwhelming support, with 89.6 percent of respondents saying they would vote for her.
Her closest challenger, Paul Biegon, stands at just 7.4 percent, while 2.6 percent of the surveyed teachers remain undecided.
Rotich’s dominant performance is consistent across all six sub-counties of Kericho—Ainamoi, Bureti, Belgut, Soin-Sigowet, Kipkelion East, and Kipkelion West—underscoring her strong grassroots appeal.
Many respondents credited her popularity to her active efforts in improving the welfare of teachers, especially in matters concerning working conditions, member empowerment, and effective representation.
In the newly introduced Second Gender Secretary (PWD) position, the poll shows that Gideon Lelgo is running unopposed and holds 98 percent support.
His unchallenged candidacy has been welcomed by the members of the union who view the introduction of the PWD seat as an important step toward broadening representation within the union. Only a small fraction of respondents indicated uncertainty, suggesting Lelgo’s near-assured victory.
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The Third Gender Secretary (Youth) race appears similarly decisive, with youthful candidate Hillary Langat, popularly known as Mtetezi, commanding a remarkable 96 percent support among the respondents.
His competitor, Alfred William, trails significantly at 3 percent, while 1 percent of those surveyed indicated they were undecided. Langat’s growing popularity has been associated with his active engagement with young teachers and his push for youth-focused reforms in union leadership.
In the contest for Treasurer, the race is notably more competitive, though still showing a clear leading candidate. Zablon Rono leads the pack with 56.5 percent support, while his closest challenger, Kenneth Ngeno, follows with 38.5 percent. Geoffrey Langat holds 13 percent support, and 2 percent of respondents remain undecided.
While Rono maintains a significant lead, observers note that the Treasurer race remains dynamic, with the potential for shifts depending on campaign momentum in the final days.
The Chairman race also appears to lean strongly in favor of Evans Langat, who currently commands 61 percent support compared to Jonah Korir’s 34 percent, with 5 percent undecided. Langat’s popularity reflects confidence in his leadership style and his promises to strengthen union cohesion.
The tightest and most unpredictable contest highlighted in the poll is the Vice Chairperson race, where Clarity Chebet narrowly leads with 50 percent against Cosmas Mungwana’s 46 percent, with 4 percent undecided. With such a slim margin, the winner of this race may ultimately be determined by last-minute campaigning and undecided voters.
As the KUPPET Kericho Branch election day approaches, most races appear safely decided, while a few remain unpredictable. Candidates are expected to intensify their campaigns in a final effort to sway members before voting begins.
By Philip Koech
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