An emotional atmosphere engulfed the close the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association meeting on Friday after chairman Indimuli Kahi announced he is retiring from the teaching profession.
He also said he is exiting as Kessha chairman. He made the announcement during the close of the 46th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association national conference in Mombasa.
Kahi, overwhelmed by emotions, announced he will retire from the teaching profession on December 31 after 34 years of service.
He has served as the Kessha head for eight years, having taken over from John Awiti in the middle of his term.
“This will be my last conference as the Kessha chairman. It is not a bed of roses. Eight years is far too long. Some were beginning to say I am becoming a dinosaur on the seat,” Kahi said.
He served the last two years of Awiti’s term before serving his own five-year term.
When the Covid-19 pandemic came, the school calendar was disrupted, eating up one year of his term.
Last year, the Kessha NGC requested that he extends by a year and he obliged.
“I will miss you. I will miss this conference. I will miss the interaction because this conference gives a lot of knowledge,” Kahi said.
Other officials paid a glowing tribute to the emotional Kahi, whose voice trembled with emotions as tears flowed down his cheeks.
Kessha vice chairman Boniface Karisa said in Africa it is not easy for someone to stand for others the way Kahi has stood for colleague principals and teachers, and especially hand over power with a smile on their face.
“Indimuli has mentored me. I have enjoyed working with him as his vice chair. God bless you Bwana Indimuli as we appreciate your efforts,” he said.
Karisa said he was the one who suggested that Kahi’s term be extended by a year.
He said the challenges that Kahi went through, including facing questions about the association funds, are normal in leadership.
“I like the way you have been very strong and told us to soldier on,” Karisa said.
Kessha national vice secretary Abdinoor Haji described Kahi as charismatic, patient and persevering, adding that it will be painful to see that he will be exiting the association and the teaching profession as a whole.
“Your charismatic leadership, patience and persevering under any situation is a trait we would all like to emulate. It will be difficult to fill your shoes,” Haji said.
The National Governing Council announced that they will be having a meeting to organise a better and befitting heroic farewell for Kahi, who is the principal of Machakos School.
The International Confederation of Principals president Prof Peter Kent said it is a fitting tribute to Kahi’s leadership that Kenya and Mombasa will be hosting the International Confederation of Principals conference next year.
Kahi is the ICP Africa representative and will hand over the mantle to a Nigerian next year’s ICP conference in Mombasa, Kenya.
Earlier, Kahi had hinted at a possible exit when he said his tenure, especially towards the tail end, has been filled with questions about the association funds, which he revealed that have been dwindling because members have not been remitting the monthly contribution of Sh500.
“We must look for partners who will look for alternative sources of funds,” Kahi said.
He said some of the sentiments he makes as the Kessha chairman have been taken personally and sometimes he has had to defend himself as an individual for the remarks he makes on behalf of Kessha because they rub some people the wrong way.
Kessha will be holding elections for new officials next year.
