Kendu bay: The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Rachuonyo branch has ushered into office new officials after a hotly contested election Saturday. Rose Aoko Otieno trounced Patrick Were Onyango to become the new Executive Secretary, garnering 1,078 votes against Were’s 748. Were, the former branch chairman, had contested for the executive secretary’s seat.
According to Kenya News Agency, the former Executive Secretary, Eliud Mbori, who held the seat for two consecutive terms, retired and was not eligible to defend the seat. In the chairperson’s seat, which attracted two contestants in the branch’s general election held at the Rachuonyo North Sub-County DCC compound, Kennedy Okuyo Omondi received 1,049 votes, ahead of his competitor Joshua Okinda, who obtained 763 votes.
Isaiah Awendo secured the treasurer’s seat with 982 votes, beating his challenger, Samwel Otieno Mireri, who received 856 votes. Awendo successfully defended the seat he has held for two terms. The Assistant Secretary position went to Jared Asati, who received 930 votes against Peter Ochieng Nyang’iya, who got 921 votes.
The vice chairperson’s seat attracted three contestants, with Moses Otieno Abot leading the trio with 816 votes, followed by Judith Odhiambo with 568 votes and Lucas Odhiambo Ondiek with 345 votes. Presiding officer Kullow Mohamed Sheikh, the KNUT National Assistant Treasurer, commended the teachers for their participation in the election.
He stated that the election process began at 8.00 without any issues. ‘Our teachers turned out in large numbers and as KNUT, we are impressed because this is how the union should be; the members love it,’ he said. The election was described as peaceful, with the security committees maintaining law and order.
Kullow congratulated the winners, acknowledging the competitive nature of the exercise and encouraging the elected officials to honor their campaign pledges. ‘This was the branch with a hotly contested election so I congratulate the winners and want them to honor the pledges they made to the members during the campaign,’ he remarked. Nearly 3,000 teachers participated in the election, although some were turned away for not being KNUT members.
‘I encourage the teachers not yet members of the union to join us so that they can vote next time,’ the Presiding Officer said.
