KUPPET Homa Bay branch elections halted after chaos erupted and ballot papers were destroyed./KNA
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Homa Bay County elections were aborted on Sunday following chaos and alleged violations of electoral procedures at Tom Mboya University.
Speaking to the press shortly after the exercise was halted, Ben Obop, a candidate for the position of county chairman, said the elections had initially started smoothly after early preparations by candidates and officials. However, he noted that challenges later emerged due to logistical shortcomings.
“We came very early to ensure a smooth process. A pre-election meeting was held, but some of the arrangements failed to materialise after the Labour Office did not avail itself,” Obop said.
He explained that the main voting hall at Tom Mboya University could not accommodate the unexpectedly large turnout of teachers, leading to congestion, delays, and confusion.
According to Obop, the situation worsened when some members interpreted the congestion as a deliberate attempt to lock them out of the voting process.
“This prompted people to force their way into the hall when doors were opened to allow more voters inside,” he said.
As tensions escalated, ballot papers were burnt, while others were destroyed by agitated voters, bringing the exercise to a standstill.
“That situation completely disrupted the process, forcing the officials to stop the election,” Obop said, adding that candidates were now looking to the KUPPET National Executive Board for guidance on the way forward and the scheduling of a fresh election.
He emphasised the need for a democratic and inclusive process, noting that members had invested significant time and resources in the exercise.
“We want a strong union, and that can only be achieved if members are allowed to freely and fairly elect their leaders,” he said.
Another aspirant, Collins Ouma, who was vying for the position of organising secretary, said teachers turned up in large numbers, with voting beginning as early as 6 a.m.
“There were about 37 candidates contesting various positions within the union. For most of the day, due process was followed,” Ouma said.
However, he noted that the situation changed in the afternoon when commotion broke out.
“At around 2 p.m., there was a lot of commotion, forcing us as officials to stop the election,” Ouma said.
He added that KUPPET elections are normally supervised by the Labour Office in collaboration with other relevant authorities.
He appealed to both the branch and national governing councils to convene consultative meetings with aspirants to resolve the issues and pave the way for a fresh poll within the next few weeks.
Gender secretary aspirant Angela Okoth blamed the collapse of the exercise on alleged violations of election laws, including claims of multiple voting.
“There were cases where some voters allegedly voted more than once because the ink used was not sufficiently indelible,” Okoth claimed.
She further alleged that tensions intensified after some ballot materials were interfered with, triggering unrest that made it impossible for the exercise to continue.
Okoth called for better coordination between the Labour Office and electoral officials in the future to ensure a free, fair, and credible process.
Meanwhile, some voters expressed disappointment over the aborted elections. One teacher said members had arrived early with high expectations of participating in a credible exercise, only to witness chaos and alleged irregularities.
“As voters, we are not happy. The election was neither free nor fair, and that is why it had to stop,” the teacher said.
Candidates and members are now awaiting communication from the KUPPET national leadership on the way forward and the possibility of conducting fresh elections.