Kuppet push for review of union’s 2010 constitution
Kuppet push for review of union’s 2010 constitution
Kuppet push for review of union’s 2010 constitution
A constitutional revision, according to the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), will promote inclusivity and solidify democratic procedures.The main goal of the campaign is to increase the number of elective seats from 10 to 16, which will allow officials from marginalized areas like Nairobi, the North Eastern Coast, and the Coast to apply for national leadership positions.We established that part of the movement to amend the constitution is the adoption of Proportional Representation (Pro Rata) for union delegates’ appointments.
The Standard obtained an internal report from Kuppet that reveals the current constitution was adopted in 2010, a year with just 20,000 members in the union. According to the paper, Kuppet was not available in some regions of the nation at the time, and each branch was only allowed ten delegates to participate in union decision-making processes, which included official elections.
This means that in the 47 county branches, the union had only one delegate for every 41 union members.“Today, Kuppet has over 120,000 members spread throughout the country represented by the same number of delegates. Each union delegate today represents not less than 250 teachers, meaning that Kuppet decision-making has become less democratic,” report says.
Union officials now contend that a review of the document is required in order for Kuppet to comply with the principle of the Kenyan Constitution, which grants all union members the right to participate in union matters (Article 41).
“Constitutions are living, breathing documents that ought to adapt to the requirements of a community’s organizations and citizens. Kuppet has nominated women, young people, teachers with disabilities, and marginalized members to union committees in an effort to lessen the shortcomings of the current constitution. The text states, “The moment has come for a comprehensive revamp of the Constitution, which should occur more than a year before union elections in the first quarter of 2026.
The pitch has however elicited opposition from some of the Kuppet board members who argued that the constitutional review process is aimed at creating positions for cronies and increasing retirement of senior officers.The Kuppet report, however says: “Claims that the review is meant to change the retirement age of union officials are being made by unscrupulous delegates who are out to defeat the purpose of the review. The retirement age of Kuppet officials is clearly provided under the current Constitution and in national legislation and regulations.”The document further says that the current constitutional provision on resignation before contesting a different position is a matter under consideration by delegates.
“It was informed by standard democratic practice which is contained in Kenyan laws. It is not long ago when Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula resigned from his Senate seat to contest his new position,” report says.Union secretary general Akello Misori and the national chairman Omboko Milemba yesterday downplayed the opposition to the constitutional review.
The leaders of the teaching unions in the Coast, Kiambu, Kajiado, Nairobi, and Machakos regions noted that the constitutional revision will guarantee that more union members cast ballots for national leaders and provide them a say in decision-making.”Decision-making has remained in the hands of just 480 delegates, like it was in 2010, with none of the union’s national executive leaders coming from the new branches,” Mbora said.
According to Lynett Kamadi, executive director of the Kuppet Mombasa branch, the method will bring gender balance and offer all instructors a voice.She claimed that the number of women elected to national government has remained unacceptable, and that there is also an inadequate representation of teachers who live with disabilities.
