KUPPET has introduced constitutional amendments that allow top officials to serve beyond the public service retirement age of 60. The decision, approved by Acting Registrar of Trade Unions Ann Kanake, comes after months of legal battles and opposition.
Key Changes and Implications
- Removal of Retirement Age Limit
The changes remove the 60-year retirement age limit, meaning long serving officials can serve indefinitely. Critics argue this favors established leaders at the expense of young teachers seeking leadership opportunities. - More Leadership Positions
- National Executive Board (NEB) will now have 14 elected national officials to increase representation for gender, disability, region and Junior Secondary.
- Nine trustee positions have been created, 8 of them will be elected and the remaining one reserved for the founding Secretary General.
- New national positions are First, Second and Third Assistant National Gender Secretary, Assistant National Secretary Junior Secondary and Regional Council Representative.
- Branch positions now have First, Second and Third Assistant Gender Secretary and Assistant Secretary Junior Secondary.
- Tighter Eligibility for Leadership
- Branch officials seeking national office must resign at least 31 days before elections, a requirement seen as a barrier to career progression within KUPPET.
- Only NEB and Branch Executive Committee members will be eligible to contest for national positions, effectively locking out grassroots members.
Who Benefits?
Among those who will benefit from these changes are KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori, National Chairman and Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba, National Treasurer Mwethi Njenga, Woman Representative Catherine Wambilianga and Organizing Secretary Paul Maingi. Many of these officials are over 60 and were key in driving the changes.
Reactions and Opposition
The changes have been criticized as entrenching power among senior officials and making leadership positions financially and structurally inaccessible to young teachers. The increase in leadership fees has complicated the situation further, making it harder for ordinary members to vie for top positions.
What Next for KUPPET?
Come January 2026 KUPPET will have to answer to this.