The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) elections were aborted after violence broke out, forcing officials to suspend the exercise midway.
The confrontations that happened in Homabay County on Monday, January 12, began when a group of unknown people, allegedly, entered the polling centre and took ballot boxes before setting them ablaze.
The county KUPPET executive secretary, Steven Yogo, claimed the chaos was brought by attackers who were hired by certain candidates who were taking part in the elections.
“They brought goons into the polling centre, something that was against the electoral laws. We witnessed so many teachers coming back to the line and voting again,” Yogo stated.
The secretary claimed that some teachers voted more than once by using a substance to remove the ink that is normally applied to mark voters after casting their ballots.
The chaos led to the dismissal of the polls, and no results were announced as teachers who were awaiting to vote fled the area in search of safety.
They maintained that all required electoral procedures had been observed, but alleged that irregularities started to emerge around midday.
Some of the candidates complained they had invested so much in the polls and expressed their frustrations. They say even after raising complaints about a suspected malpractice, their plea were not considered.
“We have invested so much in this elections. We want the union to be strong, but that can only be so if members are allowed to elect their leaders democratically. We are not giving up because we need change,” one of the candidates stated.
They blamed the labour office mandated to conduct the elections for the chaos and now demanded that the electoral body order fresh elections.
The union is now waiting for the decision of the union’s national electoral board to determine next steps.
KUPPET began its branch elections to elect or re-elect its officials, and violent disruptions and confusion across several counties have so far marred the elections.
Other areas have experienced peaceful elections, while other counties like Baringo are expected to conduct the polls on January 31.
