Dock Workers Union general secretary Simon Sang has retained his position after the KPA workers union election and will serve for five more years until 2026.
Mr Sang garnered 1,055 votes against 12 other contestants, with his closest challenger, Mikindani MCA Renson Thoya, managing 846 votes.
Mohamed Juma Mwasera will take over from Mohamed Sheria as the union chair.
Adressing the media after the elections were announced yesterday, Sang warned the Kenya Ports Authority management that it will not be business as usual.
“The last term was turbulent and management took advantage of this. This time it will not be business as usual,” said Sang.
He said he tried diplomacy with management in the last term.
“But management has proven that diplomacy never works,” said Sang in his victory speech at the KPA Headquarters’ boardroom, where he was declared the winner by the DWU Elections Board chair Alice Taabu.
“We need to put on our gloves and ensure effective representation of our members.”
He said first on the agenda will be promotion matters, with the re-elected general secretary giving the KPA management three weeks from the date of the registration of the newly elected union office to be effected.
Sheria’s reign as the chair was marred by wrangles in the union, failing to work together with Sang, with whom he did not see eye-to-eye.
However, newly elected chair Mwasera said the new office will be devoid of any wrangles.
“We will streamline the working system of the union by bringing unity.
“We don’t want to go back to what happened in the last term,” said Mwasera.
For the first time ever, the giant union will have a woman assistant general secretary in Nimo Ibrahim and a woman national treasurer in Nana Mote.
Mote beat Gladys Chepkorir, who was in Sang’s Camp.
Sang, has been at the helm for 15 years and this win will take him to 20 years as the general secretary should he complete it.
Mote said with women in the office, there will be problem solvers.
“Expect work to be smooth this time,” she said.
Gunda Kaneno retained his seat as the vice chair with Bula Kalama as the assistant treasurer.