KUPPET Assistant Treasurer Tonui Accuses Union Officials of Defying Court Orders.
In a dramatic turn of events at the 26th Annual Delegates Meeting of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) in Vihiga, National Assistant Treasurer Ronald Tonui has accused the union’s top leadership of defying court orders.
Tonui made these claims after being ejected from the meeting while attempting to serve the Secretary General with a court order.
“There are hired goons inside here who blocked me from accessing the Secretary General to serve him with a physical court order,” Tonui explained.
He believes that his removal was orchestrated to prevent him from delivering the legal documents that were intended to address the leadership crisis within the union.
Unconstitutional Amendments
One of the primary issues raised by Tonui at the meeting was the proposed constitutional amendments, which he argued were not subjected to the right processes.
He emphasized that the amendments, particularly those relating to leadership tenure, had not undergone the necessary public participation.
“Public participation belongs to the members, yes, the teachers of Kenya,” Tonui asserted.
He further criticized the failure to involve all 47 county branches in the discussions, which he believes is crucial for representing the interests of teachers.
Tonui declared that the union leaders had sidestepped these crucial steps, undermining the democratic process.
Self-Interest in Leadership Amendments
Tonui also expressed strong dissatisfaction with the proposed changes to the union’s constitution, particularly those that extend the retirement age of union leaders from 60 to 65.
He claimed that these amendments were designed to benefit the current leadership, allowing them to remain in office for an extended period.
“The constitution they have made today is a constitution for the retirees,” Tonui argued.
He accused the leadership of seeking to “stay in office until they die” by eliminating the retirement age entirely.
According to Tonui, these actions are unfair and do not reflect the interests of the Kenyan teachers who are supposed to be represented by the union.
Calls for Fair Representation
Tonui called for a restructuring of the union’s leadership to better serve the interests of Kenyan teachers. He stressed the need for a constitution that reflects the true aspirations of educators across the country.
“The Kenyan teacher’s feelings should be felt in the constitution amendment,” Tonui said.
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“At the end of the day, the Kenyan teacher will be comfortable and happy to be in KUPPET because we are supposed to be representing the Kenyan teachers.”
He called on teachers, especially those from counties like Kericho, to stand together and advocate for a more inclusive and transparent leadership structure.
KUPPET Assistant Treasurer Tonui Accuses Union Officials of Defying Court Orders
