Kisumu court halts Knut elections meant for Friday

The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu has temporarily halted the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) elections that were scheduled to take place on April 2 and April 3, 2026.

The Friday polls will pause until a notice of motion filed by George Anyona Arek against the Registrar of Trade Unions, the Knut Nairobi Branch, and two other respondents is heard and determined. 

In an order issued on March 30, 2026, Justice Nzioki wa Makau certified the matter as urgent directing that the court documents served for inter partes hearing on April 20, 2026.

"That pending the hearing inter partes an order of temporary injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents either by themselves, agents, servants, employees and any other party acting on their instructions from conducting and/or carrying out nominations or elections of officials Knut scheduled for 2nd and 3rd April 2026," said Justice Nzioki wa Makau.

The decision effectively puts on hold the union’s electoral process, dealing a blow to preparations that had been underway across various branches.

Earlier on Thursday, Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu had said it was all systems go for the Friday Special Delegates Conference and elections by 2,280  delegates from 110 branches, at the Tom Mboya Labour College, Kisumu.

The Ministry of Labour presided over nomination of candidates at the venue of the conference.

There are 44 positions up for grabs including 11 at the national office and 33 National Executive Council (NEC) Members to be drawn from eight regions (formerly Provinces before the promulgation of the Constitution 2010 that have birth to 47 counties under a devolved government system).

Uncertainty over the conference had gripped the union following another case filed by former Secretary-General Wilson Sossion, which was dismissed on Wednesday for lack of merit.

Mr Sossion is seeking to challenge Mr Oyuu in a comeback bid, which has now been jolted by the court verdict, and it remains to be seen if he will still make a bid for the top union office.

Mr Sossion, the former ODM nominated Member of Parliament, is on record stating he was prepared to reclaim his former position, which he quit on June 2021, and that he had the support of majority of teachers and Knut delegates.

"It is all systems go and the delegates are already making their way to Kisumu ahead of the nomination to be held on Thursday and the conference on Friday," Mr Oyuu told Nation on telephone.

However, the court issued a penal notice warning that any disobedience of the order would attract legal consequences.

The matter will now be heard inter partes later this month, where all parties will present their arguments before the court makes a determination on the application.

“Take notice that any disobedience or non-observance of the order… will result in penal consequences,” the notice states.

Last week, Mr Oyuu said that only registered union members will be allowed to contest for positions in the election scheduled for April 3. He said nobody shall claim to be a life member of the union. 

"We do not have life membership at Knut. This is a teachers' union guided by a professional constitution. We only recognise contributing and honorary members. The rest we do not know,” he said.

On his predecessor, Mr Sossion, who has also expressed interest in the seat, Mr Oyuu maintained that eligibility to contest is purely determined by the constitution.

“Knut is for teachers and will accept any candidate who qualifies under the constitution. Nobody owns this union. Leadership is determined within the law,” he said.

He cautioned non members against interfering in the union’s affairs, insisting that the constitution alone determines who qualifies to vie.

Mr Oyuu is leading a charge for re-election of Mr Hezbon Otieno as the deputy secretary-general, Chairman Patrick Munuhe Karinga, Mr Malel Langat (first vice chairman) and Mr Aggrey Namisi (second vice chairman) at the national level.

Treasurer James Ndiku, Deputy Treasurer Kennedy Ondieki Nyamwanda, Assistant Treasurer Kullow Sheik Mohamed, Woman Representative Mercy Kiambati and the second Woman Representative  Mercy Muthoni Ndung’u are also defending their national positions, along with the union Trustees Boniface Tenai and Albert Njeru and Dan Aloo.

The Knut assistant Secretary-General Rosalia Mukanjala, is under siege from delegates with Mr Lennox Mwakio Mshila, the Taita Taveta branch executive secretary, fronted by eight regions to take over the position.

Ms Mukanjala appears to have been thrown under the bus by fellow top officials who have sided with Mr Mwakio in unfolding development ahead of the election.

Addressing Rift Valley delegates in Nakuru a week ago, Ms Mukanjala claimed her colleagues were uncomfortable with the demands she had made on consultative leadership and did not want to pay her pending dues acrued over the years.

Mr Stephen Misoi, the Nandi South executive secretary, is contesting against Mr Tenai for the trustee position while Mr Aloo and Mr Njeru are unopposed.

For one to contest any of the national positions as per the Knut constitution, they should have been a teacher and a member of the union for eight uninterrupted years.

In the branch elections, about 20 branches saw the election of new executive secretaries as the former office holders were voted out.

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