Kuppet has no preferred presidential candidate, official says

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) official has distanced the union from an endorsement of Raila Odinga as a preferred presidential candidate for the August 9 poll.

Union’s national vice treasurer Ronald Tonui termed the move by some officials to endorse the candidate as personal.

Tonui said as a union they continue to remain independent on political matters noting positions taken at an individual level should not be construed to mean that was their position.

“I want to dissociate myself from the reports that we have endorsed the Azimio la Umoja candidate as their most preferred presidential candidate in the forthcoming election,” he said.

He added, “We have never endorsed any party as our visionary leader since issues to do with politics are personal and cannot be institutionalized.”

On Wednesday, more than 30 teachers and union officials from KNUT and KUPPET from Kiambu held a breakfast meeting with Azimio’s running mate Martha Karua where they agreed to rally behind Odinga.

The team led by KNUT’s Collins Oyuu and Kuppet secretary-general Akello Misori noted that through their manifesto, more teachers are going to be employed and that salaries are going to be reviewed.

Citing the case of KNUT, the legislator argued that the politicization of unions was one aimed at nothing but killing and tainting its image.

“A lot should be derived from the 2017 endorsement of ODM by KNUT partisan party an action that almost finished it for we do not know what awaits us in the coming government,” said the Bomet central MP.

He added that the choice to endorse or elect a leader is a personal democratic right that cannot extend to the union as it might lead to division.

“Teachers should never be divided based on individual interests on political parties or leaders it should be a personal approach,” he added.

He added teachers should be focusing on articulating their issues in a more sober manner rather than taking political sides.