Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi, Deputy Secretary General Moses Nturima said the changes were a result of extensive consultations and democratic process. He was accompanied by KUPPET National Vice Chairman Julius Korir who said while opposition to the changes is valid, the majority had made the decision. Nturima said teachers, union leadership and stakeholders were engaged and the constitution has been registered.
The announcement came after a meeting with representatives of historically marginalized groups within the union to review the changes and develop a roadmap for implementation. The meeting included grassroots women leaders, teachers with disabilities (PWDs) and Junior Secondary School representatives. The leaders supported the new changes.
Key Changes
The new constitution increases the union’s executive offices from 10 to 14 at national and state levels to reflect the diversity of the membership. The new positions are:
- 1st Assistant National Secretary Gender – gender representation.
- 2nd Assistant National Secretary Gender – PWDs.
- 3rd National Secretary Gender – youth and young teachers.
To reflect representation a regional council will be created to align the union’s structure with the national government’s regional offices. The office of Trustees will also increase from 4 to 9 members to reflect the growth of the union and increased asset ownership.
Changes in Delegate Selection and Election Procedures
The union will have a more democratic system of appointing delegates to national conferences to ensure equitable representation. Under this new system:
- A minimum of 14 delegates per branch will be maintained.
- Each county will get an additional delegate for every 100 members beyond the mandatory 300.
And the changes will reinforce Section 33 of the Labour Relations Act to ensure all union members (provided their subscriptions are not more than 13 weeks in arrears) can vote and contest elections.
Implementation Timeline
The new constitution retains the retirement age at 65 years and the changes will take effect on January 21, 2026. The new positions will be contested at that time.
Junior Secondary School Teachers
Nturima said most Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers have joined KUPPET and are paying agency fees. He said the union is working to fully integrate them so they can access all member benefits.
JSS teachers’ National Spokesperson Omari Omari said their decision to join KUPPET was voluntary as they are post-primary teachers.
The interest groups were tasked to sensitize members on the new changes and work with the National Executive Board to implement.