KUPPET Treasurer Njenga urges court to strike out suit seeking his removal

Embattled KUPPET National Treasurer Wicks Mwethi Njenga has asked the Employment and Labour Relations Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two union members seeking his removal from office.

In a response to a petition filed by two petitioners, William Lengoyiap and Yvonne Mutindi Musyoka, Njenga has asked the court to throw out the case, terming it a politically charged effort to destabilise the teachers' union ahead of next year's elections. 

"I wish to categorically and unequivocally deny every allegation contained in the Claimant's claim,” states Njenga in an affidavit filed in court.

He further accuses the petitioners of abusing the court process to advance personal and factional agendas ahead of the 2026 union elections.

“The application is incurably defective for want of substance. It is an abuse of the court process, frivolous, vexatious and a final desperate attempt at destabilising the Union,” Njenga stated in his affidavit.

The petitioners are seeking interim and conservatory orders to bar Njenga from continuing as the National Treasurer of KUPPET, arguing that he lacks the proper qualifications to hold the position.

They argue that Njega is not a registered teacher under the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and was unlawfully seconded to the union.

“Pending hearing and determination of the main suit, the court be pleased to issue a conservatory order suspending Njenga from office as the National Treasurer of KUPPET, and restrain him from accessing, utilising, or interfering with the affairs, funds, or assets of KUPPET in any manner whatsoever,” the petition reads.

The petitioners claim Njenga was interdicted and deregistered by the TSC and therefore does not qualify to contest or hold office under Article 7.0(a)(i) of the KUPPET Constitution, which requires national officials to be registered teachers of good standing.

But Njenga insists he is duly elected and fully qualified, and that the lawsuit is a retaliatory move following disciplinary action taken against the two petitioners for gross misconduct.

“The claimants have filed this suit solely as retaliation for disciplinary proceedings instituted against them for multiple cases of gross misconduct and disrepute to the Union,” he stated.

 “They even stormed the office of the Registrar of Trade Unions and harassed the officers.”

Njenga further alleges that the claimants are political allies of Ronald Tonui, the former Assistant National Treasurer, who was recently removed from KUPPET’s official register.

“They are known agents and sympathisers of the former Assistant National Treasurer. Their mission is to unseat me and create a vacuum in the KUPPET Treasury,” he said.

According to Njenga, such a vacuum would cripple the union’s operations, which are dependent on the treasury office for funding and execution of programs.

“A vacuum in the Union Treasury means complete and absolute paralysis, as the Union will be unable to run its programs. All funds must be authorised and transacted by the Treasury,” he warned.

Njenga also provided a list of at least seven other cases filed by the same petitioners in various courts, including Nairobi, Machakos and Meru, arguing that the legal filings are part of a deliberate campaign to disrupt union activities.

In defending his qualifications, Njenga presented a detailed account of his education and career progression. 

He said he was employed by the Teachers Service Commission in 1988 as a graduate teacher and confirmed in permanent and pensionable terms in 1999.

“I am a registered teacher with a Bachelor of Education (Arts) Degree, from the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University”, he told the court. 

“I later completed a Master’s degree in Education Planning from the University of Nairobi and another in Education Administration from Kenyatta University.”

He has filed in court supporting documents, including letters of appointment, study leave approvals, university admissions, and confirmation of academic records. 

Njenga also explained that discrepancies in names on academic record, some of which bear the name Leonard Njenga Mwet, hi are accounted for.

“I wish to confirm that the said Leonard Njenga Mwethi and Wicks Mwethi Njenga are the same person. I have sworn an affidavit confirming this.”

The Treasurer detailed his long-standing union leadership history, stating that he was first elected to the position in 2006 and subsequently re-elected in 2011, 2016, and 2021. His current term ends in 2026. 

In his affidavit, with a strong appeal to the court to find the case against him unfounded and struck it out.

“The applicants must cease from clout chasing for political mileage. It is just, meet, and in the interests of fairness and justice that their frivolous and baseless application be dismissed with costs.”

The matter is pending hearing before the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi.