Tensions have continued to pile up ahead of the Kenya Nation Union of Teachers (Knut) elections with Secretary-General Wilson Sossion claiming that his office is under siege from the government.
Sossion seeks to defend his seat in the union this Saturday in an in-person voting exercise after the Ministry of Health okayed the exercise.
KNUT has appointed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to manage its elections.
“The elections will be held in strict compliance with the Covid-19 guidelines as issued by the Ministry of Health to avoid transmission of the dreaded virus within the delegates who will be attending the Special Delegates Conference,” said Knut Secretary-General Sossion.
Health Principal Secretary (PS) Susan Mochache approved in-person voting after Knut issued elaborate measures to check against the spread of COVID-19 at the polling venue.
The measures include a walk-in-walk-out voting pattern to avoid over-crowding. Delegates from 12 counties have been directed to travel on the election day to cast their votes and return home.
The 12 counties includes Kirinyanga, Embu, Nakuru, Kiambu, Nyeri, Murang’a, Machakos, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Makueni, Narok, and Kajiado.Night meetings and campaigns have been banned and delegates will stay in their hotel rooms.
All Delegates will remain in their buses till they are called upon to cast their vote. Posters will be allowed.
1,878 delegates from 8 regional branches are expected to vote. Of these, 211 delegates will be from the central region, 139 Coast, 392 Eastern, 43 Nairobi, 25 North Eastern, 327 Nyanza, 238 Western and Rift Valley 503.
“All those desiring to contest various seats should submit their nominations for candidature between 8am and 5pm Friday to the returning officer at the venue. Any late submissions shall not be accepted,” said Sossion.
Knut Deputy Secretary-General Hesbon Otieno announced that the nomination process and timeliness are acceptable by all contestants and the voting will be done in full compliance with Covid-19 measures.
Those wishing to unseat Sossion in the elections have an opportunity to officially express their interest by the end of today (June 25). The Kericho Executive Secretary Stanley Mutai and the acting union national chairman Collins Oyuu have already expressed interest.
Sossion remains adamant that he will still remain the winner after the elections o protect the interests of teachers. “Whatever the case, I will be the secretary-general by 9am on election day,” said Sossion.
He stated that union elections have always been marred by State interference and warned that the Knut exercise will not be without external forces the reason why he appointed IEBC to preside over the event.
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