How KUPPET, KNUT incumbents outmaneuvered rivals ahead of key elections
Education
By
Lewis Nyaundi
| Apr 03, 2026
The race for control of teachers’ unions is now shaping up in favour of the incumbents as they lock out some of the top opponents, quietly clearing their return to office.
In both the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), the contest for the influential Secretary-General position has been narrowed by eligibility rules, limiting who appears on the ballot.
The powerful post that doubles as the union’s spokesperson has been a bone of contention, attracting considerable interest.
At KUPPET, Secretary-General Akello Misori is set for an easy re-election after his only challenger failed to qualify for the April poll, leaving the race uncontested. Misori has held the post since 2009.
At KNUT, former Secretary-General Wilson Sossion faces a tougher path in his attempted comeback against incumbent Collins Oyuu.
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Sossion, who resigned in June 2021, has been barred from contesting because he is no longer a union member.
He was deregistered from the Teachers Service Commission register in 2019, and union records show his membership also lapsed that year.
Although he served until 2021 under provisions allowing elected officials to serve out their terms, his membership status became a key issue after leaving office.
According to the KNUT constitution, union membership is limited to practising teachers or serving union officials. Individuals who are neither practising teachers nor officials can only be admitted as honorary members.
However, Article 4 of the KNUT constitution states that honorary members cannot vote on union matters or hold office.
“Such honorary membership shall not have any voting rights on any matter and shall not be eligible to hold any office in the union,” the KNUT constitution reads.
This provision effectively blocks honorary members from contesting for leadership positions.
The constitution also gives the National Executive Council the power to declare a teacher ineligible for membership until reinstated.
Last-minute efforts to halt the KNUT elections failed after a court in Kisumu lifted earlier orders stopping the polls. The case had been filed by Sossion and union member Martha Omollo at the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
A ruling on Thursday evening allowed the elections to proceed, paving the way for Oyuu to seek a second term unopposed.
By Friday, vote counting was underway at Tom Mboya University, where the elections were held.
At KUPPET, former Bomet East MP Ronald Tonui had declared interest in the Secretary-General position, calling for “fresh energy” in the union. He also questioned the fairness of the election process.
However, KUPPET said Tonui submitted his nomination papers two hours past the deadline and did not meet eligibility requirements, which include being a current union official and member.
“Tonui is neither a union official nor a member following his exit, making him ineligible,” a union source said.
“Tonui is neither an official of the union nor is he a member of the union anymore since his exit. This makes him ineligible to run,” a source at KUPPET said.
His disqualification now leaves Misori unopposed and on course to retain his seat.