A dock worker at the Dock Workers Union (DWU) has defeated a long-serving union leader who had been at the helm for over two decades.
Sulman Owuor beat Simon Sang to take over as secretary general in a controversial election that has triggered divisions within the organisation.
Owuor, 54, mounted a spirited ‘chama kwa mwanachama’ campaign to oust Sang and his team from the union leadership. He had previously served as Sang’s deputy.
Members of Sang’s team who lost their positions include national chairman Mohamed Mwasera and vice chairman Gunda Kaneno, who have since protested the outcome.
The new secretary general will serve alongside assistant secretary Bernadette Musyoki, chairman Amin Iloti, vice chairman Rua Mpate, treasurer Kibibi Omery and assistant treasurer Maskat Salim, among others.
Owuor’s rise was first bolstered by a judgment from the Employment and Labour Relations Court delivered on February 26 this year, which saw Sang who had led the union since 2006—replaced in an acting capacity.
In the ruling on the alleged unfair removal of Owuor, Kibibi Omery, Amin Iloti and Mejuma Chirau from office, Justice Monica Mbaru declared that Sang was not in good standing to continue heading the union, paving the way for his replacement.
On April 4, Sang’s 20-year grip on the DWU was finally broken when his former deputy, Owuor, defeated him in the elections.
Sang was first elected general secretary in 2006 and remained in office until his ouster.
Owuor said the elections were now over and that the union would shift focus to negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and boosting port productivity.
He noted that members have been waiting for the completion of a new CBA since December 2023, when the 2020–2023 agreement expired.
“Our priority is to complete the negotiations for a new CBA so that our members get a pay rise that will be backdated to 2024. There is already a letter from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission which gives the beacon for the negotiations,” he said.
Owuor added that the DWU had previously joined the Trade Union Congress of Kenya (TUC-K), which rivalled Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU), before exiting and not returning.
“We are going to support KPA policies that aim to raise port productivity so that the employer gets revenue to raise our members’ pay,” he said.
