Kirinyaga KNUT branch has a new boss after the outgoing executive secretary Javana Wachira Mirera was beaten hands down by his own deputy.
Mirera polled 57 votes against 118 for Patrick Wachira Kanaiyu, who served as the branch assistant executive secretary.
The outgoing official lost after some of the members claimed he was allied to the troubled KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossioni whom they accused of waging war against their employer, the TSC.
Mirera was also accused of having moved the branch office from Kerugoya to Karatina town, which is close to his home at Kiangai market, on the border between Kirinyaga and Nyeri counties.
The one five year term official remained seated calmly as the results of the election were being announced by a local Labour Officer.
He later sneaked from St. Joseph Primary school in Kerugoya town which was the venue for the elections.
Earlier on, Mirera had cited foul play amid claims that one of the voters was being bribed by an agent of the rival camp.
After overseeing the elections, KNUT Assistant secretary general Clement Gicharu claimed that TSC was gradually killing the trade union.
The official wondered why the teachers’ employer had systematically continued to remove teachers from the TSC membership, while enlisting them with other trade unions.
“Just in 2019, the KNUT membership stood at 188,000, while as at today we have only 23,000 members and you can clearly see the hand of the TSC here,” said Gicharu.
During the elections, Alex Ngodi was re-elected the branch chairman, Barnabas Ndonga (Treasurer) and Loise Njeri as women representative.
Meanwhile, Joseph Matheka was re-elected as the County Government Workers Union chairman.
Matheka has served for 15 consecutive years in that capacity. He promised to redouble his efforts by providing proper guidance and leadership to all workers under their jurisdiction.
by Irungu Mwangi
