Old guard shown the door in Machakos Kuppet elections

Kuppet Machakos branch executive secretary Musembi Katuku addresses a press conference on August 26, 2024. [File, Standard]

The wind of change is blowing in Machakos county after teachers overwhelmingly voted out long-serving Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) branch executive secretary, Muusembi Katuku, terminating his 24-year reign at the helm of the union.

Mr Katuku was trounced by Yvonne Musyoka, a teacher based in Yatta Sub-county who was the union’s vice chairperson, in elections that saw more than half of the incumbent officials lose their seats, paving the way for new leadership in Machakos teachers’ politics.

The hotly contested elections, held at Machakos University at the weekend were the first Kuppet branch polls countrywide, setting the pace ahead of similar elections scheduled to roll out every weekend until March this year.

Ms Musyoka garnered 2,128 votes against Mr Katuku’s 958, in an election overseen by officials from the Ministry of Labor. A total of 3,108 votes were cast, with 22 spoilt ballots recorded in the Executive Secretary race.

Martin Mutisya was elected chairman while Justus Nzyuko clinched the Treasurer’s position. Other elected officials included Mathew Mutuku (Organising Secretary), Martin Kawinzi (Vice Chairperson), Caroline Mbithi (Gender Secretary) and Boniface Sila (Secretary, JSS)

Observers view the Machakos outcome as a strong message to teachers across the country that that the era of entrenched leadership was under scrutiny, and that members were ready to entrust the union’s future to new leadership.

In her acceptance speech after being declared the winner Musyoka struck a conciliatory, calling for unity as the new team charts a reform-driven agenda. She pledged to push for teacher promotions, better pay, and greater autonomy for Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers currently domiciled in primary schools.

“Domiciling JSS in primary schools was inevitable, but autonomy is not negotiable. We must have our own structures,” she adding that the new executive would work as a team.

She also extended an olive branch to officials elected under rival teams, including the chairperson, the PWDs representative, and the JSS representative, assuring them of her commitment to inclusive leadership.

Chairman Martin Mutisya said the new leadership would faithfully implement the vision articulated by teachers during the campaign period.