Some members of a major teachers’ union have renewed a push to compel the sector’s regulator to reject proposed changes to its constitution.

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) members, mostly from Nyeri, have rejected seven proposed amendments drafted during the union’s December 20 annual delegates conference in Vihiga.

They argue that KUPPET’s national leaders are plotting to extend their tenure by introducing terms and conditions that are unfavourable to teachers eyeing their seats.

“I’m disappointed with KUPPET’s leadership because there are so many things that are affecting us teachers in Kenya today,” said Nyeri branch member Githinji Wahu.

“Teachers are complaining about stagnation and [unfavourable] career progression guidelines … and we cannot access healthcare under the Social Health Insurance Fund.

“Yet, when our officials meet, the only thing they discuss is amending the constitution, instead of addressing the issues at hand. They want to remain in those offices forever.”

Executive seats
In their letter to the Registrar of Trade Unions, the members objected to a tow-fold increase in nomination fees for national executive seats – candidates for secretary general, chairman and treasurer will have to pay Sh500,000, up from Sh250,000.

Other national positions will require Sh300,000. The executive secretary’s seat will require Sh200,000, and branch chairman and treasurer Sh100,000 each.

The higher fees create “a financial barrier for potential candidates, especially for grassroots members who may not have the financial capacity to compete”, said Wachuka Kamau, another member of the Nyeri branch.

“This could lead to a situation where only wealthy individuals or those with access to resources can afford to run for office, thereby undermining democratic participation and inclusivity within the union.”

They also oppose a plan to raise the number of National Executive Board members from 10 to 14, arguing that this could lead to bureaucratic inefficiency, slow down decision-making, increase operational costs, and strain the union’s finances.

“The creation of multiple assistant positions may lead to role overlap and confusion, reducing the efficiency of the union’s leadership,” the letter to the regulator says.

They also oppose a proposed increase in the number of union trustees from four to nine over the same concerns of inefficiencies in decision-making.

While the proposed amendments sought to uphold gender balance by providing that four of the eight elected trustees be of one gender, members warned that this may limit the pool of qualified candidates.

The union, the letter said, should focus on merit-based selection of trustees rather than imposing strict gender quotas.

Another issue raised by members is the creation of KUPPET regional councils, which they claimed would add another layer of bureaucracy to the union’s structure leading to higher administrative costs and potential conflicts between regional and national leadership.

Lack of clarity
Noting that the amended constitution will allow county branches to send 14 delegates to the annual delegates conference, up from the current 10, with additional delegates for every 100 members over 300, the disgruntled members said this proposal lacks clarity and would create room for manipulation, favouritism, and exclusion of certain members.

There is also a proposal to introduce new union leadership positions, according to the letter, including multiple assistant national gender secretaries and assistant national secretary for junior secondary.

This, members argue, will further expand the KUPPET governance structure unnecessarily and could lead to administrative bloat and financial strain on the union’s resources.

KUPPET national executive officials did not take calls from People Daily nor respond to text messages seeking comment.