Kisii branch KNUT elections were for the first time conducted peacefully, amid stand-off pitting the union leadership and the employer over dwindling membership among other issues.
Unlike previous elections marked with vigorous campaigns and acrimony,this year’s exercise enjoyed calm and lasted for a short time.
Presiding over the elections in which majority contestants were either retained or voted in unopposed, KNUT National Treasurer John Matiang’i alleged the Teachers’ Service Commission was bent on bringing down the outfit.
Matiang’i cited undermining membership, threats, harassment and trampling on the teachers’s right of worship as some of the tactics applied by the employer to weaken the KNUT.
According to the treasurer,the union’s membership continued to tremendously decline from 187,000 in June last year courtesy of reasons known by the employer.
He petitioned president Uhuru Kenyattta to intervene and save the independence trade union from eventual collapse and urged the teachers to assert their role in society as opinion shapers.
Matiang’i told elected leaders that the teachers were watching them for their passive attitude as the union suffered.
During the occasion Albert Ondimu retained unopposed his seat as branch executive secretary same to branch chairman Nicholas Oyaro.
The post of treasurer went to Daniel Mato as Caren Orori became the women rep among other officials elected.
Ondimu thanked the members for displaying confidence in his leadership and challenged them to do everything to see that the withdrawn membership was reverted for a strengthened union.