Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers Chairman Omboko Milemba (left), Secretary-General Akelo Misori and National Vice Chairman Julius Korir (right) and other officials during the National Governing Council meeting in Nairobi on July 11, 2025.
Stephen Yogo is a man under mounting pressure. In less than a week, he will defend his seat as branch executive secretary in Homa Bay County during the forthcoming Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) elections, scheduled for January 11.
A trained teacher by profession, Mr Yogo has spent several years representing his colleagues within the teachers’ union, having stepped away from the classroom to serve at the frontline of labour advocacy.
As a senior Kuppet official, Mr Yogo occupies a position of influence within the education sector.
Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) officials in Homa Bay, led by Executive Secretary Stephen Yogo (second left) and Chairperson Jack Okoth (second right) speaks to journalists at the union's county branch offices in Homa Bay town on December 5, 2025.
He enjoys the rare privilege of sitting at the negotiation table with the government, where - alongside other union leaders - he advocates for the interests of thousands of teachers and presses for concessions on their behalf.
Even so, influence comes at a price.
Mr Yogo says anyone aspiring to leadership within the union must be prepared to dig deep into their pockets.
“The first expense is the nomination fee, which is sent to union headquarters to cater for logistical costs during the voting exercise,” he explains.
According to the unionist, candidates vying for the position of branch executive secretary pay Sh200,000 in nomination fees to Kuppet headquarters.
Those contesting the post of branch chairperson part with Sh100,000, while candidates for executive committee positions pay Sh50,000.
“But that is only the tip of the iceberg,” Mr Yogo says.
The campaigns demand far more.
Candidates must organise meetings, often in hotels, where they court voters at considerable cost. Venues must be hired, meals and refreshments provided and transport facilitated.
“In many ways, this is no different from mainstream political campaigns. A lot of money is involved,” he says.
Entrenched in national politics
Mr Yogo argues that the culture of handouts, long entrenched in national politics, has crept into union elections. Campaigns, he says, drain candidates financially, as teachers attending meetings expect compensation.
“In ordinary politics, someone may be influenced by as little as Sh50. But teachers will not take that. They are usually paid between Sh500 and Sh1,000 per meeting,” he notes.
Beyond closed-door meetings, some candidates opt for open rallies, mounting public address systems on vehicles and traversing villages as they announce their bid for union leadership.
On polling day, each candidate appoints agents to monitor the voting process, adding yet another layer of expense. To mitigate costs, some teachers form alliances and campaign as teams.
Kuppet National Secretary-General Akelo Misori speaks to journalists at Chulaimbo Secondary School on June 27, 2017 with him is Kisumu County counterpart Zablon Awange (left) and Homa Bay County’s Stephen Yogo .
Following Kuppet's 2025 constitutional amendments, branches now have 14 executive committee members up from the previous 10.
During the elections, members will choose a branch chairperson, executive secretary, treasurer, first assistant branch secretary (gender), second assistant secretary (gender, for Persons Living with Disabilities), among other officials.
In Homa Bay, campaigns have intensified. Candidates have printed posters and plastered them across public spaces, while others have turned to social media, circulating digital posters and campaign pledges via WhatsApp.
Three main factions dominate the contest: Visionary Titans, Team Change and Team Sanity.
Mr Yogo leads the Visionary Titans, with Mr Tom Odhiambo emerging as his main challenger in the race for executive secretary.
Each camp has mobilised supporters who are actively drumming up votes.
The rival teams accuse one another of inadequate representation and misrepresentation, each promising sweeping reforms if elected.
For many teachers, this election is far more than a routine union exercise. It is a high-stakes contest with real professional and personal implications.
Some teachers observe that control of Kuppet leadership can be financially rewarding, prompting candidates to treat campaigns as a do-or-die affair.
In some regions and even at the national level, union leadership has served as a springboard into elective politics.
Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori, for instance, vied for the Homa Bay gubernatorial seat in 2022 before stepping down. National Chairman Omboko Milemba was elected Member of Parliament for Emuhaya Constituency, while National Secretary for Gender Catherine Wambilianga successfully defended her seat as Woman Representative for Bungoma County in the last election.
In Homa Bay, contenders have intensified their vote hunt ahead of the January 11, 2026 polls. The exercise will be supervised by accredited government officers from the Ministry of Labour and other agencies.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers Secretary General Akelo Misori addresses the media flanked by other officials in Nairobi on August 25, 2024.
Kuppet chairman Jack Okoth says the union boasts more than 4,000 members in Homa Bay who contribute monthly dues. He adds that the branch is implementing several development projects.
“We have grown from 300 to more than 4,000 members. We are also implementing a number of projects, including a partnership with Tom Mboya University,” Mr Okoth says.
According to him, the Homa Bay branch is regarded as one of the strongest in the county due to its leadership and commitment to teachers’ welfare.
However, he cautions against the perception that the union is awash with money.
“We do not earn salaries in Kuppet. We only receive allowances. The only salaried position is that of the executive secretary,” he explains.
In neighbouring Migori County, union politics has turned friends into rivals as factions battle for the powerful post of branch executive secretary.
Elections there will be held on January 10 at Sony Green Stadium in Awendo, drawing a crowded field of candidates.
Newcomers are seeking to unseat incumbent Orwa Jasolo.
Among them is Henry Otunga, who has made notable inroads in the sugar belt regions of Rongo, Awendo and Uriri. Mr Otunga also enjoys strong backing from Kuria teachers and has teamed up with Jecinter Robi Riro, who is vying for the treasurer’s position.
Strengthen welfare programmes
Teachers in Migori say they want leaders who can compel the government to address their grievances.
Mr Otunga says his priority is to fast-track the implementation of commitments made by President William Ruto during a meeting at State House in September last year.
He also plans to champion development programmes aimed at uplifting teachers in the region, including sponsored master’s degree scholarships in collaboration with Rongo University under negotiated cost-sharing arrangements.
“I was part of the delegation that visited the university to champion this wonderful programme. The memorandum of understanding we left with the administration will be discussed by the University Senate, and once approved, communication will be made by March,” he says.
Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary-General Akelo Misori.
Mr Otunga adds that he intends to strengthen welfare programmes through robust resource mobilisation.
“My plan is to ensure that each of the eight sub-counties in Migori owns a welfare van. I will also expand my networks and collaborate with other teachers’ organisations such as the Kenya Secondary School Heads Associations (KESSHA), Kenya Union of Vocational Education Trainings (KUVET) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), among others, to secure sponsorship for the Migori Teachers Soccer Team,” he says.
Last year, during the union delegates’ convention at Tom Mboya University, Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori assured teachers that the elections would be free and fair. He described the polls as an opportunity for younger teachers to step forward and represent their peers.
“Young people make up a substantial number of teachers and union members. They now have an opportunity to vie for branch positions. We have also created a position that specifically caters for the interests of the youth,” Mr Misori said.
