The Employment and Labour Relations Court has stopped the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) from implementing proposed changes to its constitution, particularly those that would have removed term limits for Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga.
The court issued orders on August 12, halting the application of the amended constitution that the Registrar of Trade Unions had registered on August 6. The ruling says, “The leave so granted operates as a stay of implementation of further action(s), decisions or in any manner implementation of the amended constitution of the interested party as registered by the respondent by way of Form L.”
The court instructed that the orders be served to both the Registrar of Trade Unions and UASU by August 13, warning that non-compliance would attract consequences. The case is set for hearing on September 24, 2025.
The dispute arises from attempts to revise UASU’s 2014 constitution, including a controversial proposal to eliminate the two-term limit for the Secretary-General, which would have allowed Dr. Wasonga to hold office indefinitely.
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Records indicate that the UASU National Delegates Council, the only body authorized to approve such amendments, met in December 2024 to consider the changes. However, no vote took place, despite constitutional requirements that at least two-thirds of delegates approve amendments through a secret ballot.
Several delegates raised complaints, accusing the national office of procedural violations and alleging that Wasonga submitted forged minutes to the Registrar, falsely indicating that the amendments had been adopted.
In response, Acting Registrar of Trade Unions Ann Kanake, in a letter dated July 22, rejected the amendments and directed UASU to convene a Special Delegates Conference within 14 days to conduct a proper vote under the supervision of a returning officer.
The court’s ruling now prevents any constitutional changes until the matter is fully resolved.
By Benedict Aoya
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