Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu.
The recently concluded teachers elections in Luo-Nyanza were full of political intrigues that show aspirants in some branches being sponsored by their big brothers {the politicians}.
The election ended up with rumors and speculation from the various branches that there were some elements of political patronage and sponsorship. Teachers were aligned to certain powerful politicians succeeded in wrestling various branch positions, while those contested the various offices without political patronage or sponsorship fared badly at the polls.
What sounded rather strange was the teacher’s election had become the good ground for budding politicians in various constituencies, especially those who are nursing ambition to in various positions within the local counties, parliament and Senate.
Senior politicians in the region, according to our unimpeachable sources, were involved and made sure that their favorite candidate clinched the senior most posts at the branch levels.. In Homa-Bay County one youthful politician who is an up-coming, who is reported to be eyeing for the Senate seat, allegedly sponsored candidates allied to him in almost every districts.
In some places, the ever alert teachers got wind of plans hatched by senior politicians to plant their men in the branches, and refused to bow to pressure from outside the union.
Those privie to information about teacher’s politics in Nyanza have revealed to us that money was poured everywhere. And that the elections were not fair and transparent due to supplies of money in excesses.
It was further alleged that who had sought for financial sponsorship from politicians are mainly teachers with dubious academic qualifications. This is the category of the teachers who struggled hard to ensure that they won positions at the branches so that they could protect their own selfish interests.
Allegations were also rampant that there were certain teachers in various parts of Luo-Nyanza to the effect there are, still, a large number of teachers who are using fake academic and training certificates, but who could not be detected by the officials from the Ministry of Education and TSC due to laxity and poor supervision. Some of the teachers alleged to be armed with fake academic and training certificates are said to have corrupted their way and even got promoted to the positions of primary school headships.
But if anything to go by, the elections had elevated the position of one aspirant who is vying for Senate position in Homa-Bay County, whose friends had succeeded in harvesting and won the election in nearly all the seven parliamentary constituencies.
The outcome of the elections in some branches has given a serious scare to the other aspirants for governorship, parliamentary and Senate whose supporters had performed dismally at the teachers elections despite having invested a lot of money.
Friends and political associates of the youthful politician from Ndhiwa are said to have swept the board clean in almost every constituency, and given the influence that school teachers wielded among the rural forks, the outcome of KNUT election in several districts within Homa-Bay County is now the subject of the speculations and talks about the forthcoming general elections.
Reports of political patronage and sponsorship in the KNUT branch elections, says similar manoeuvres were also experienced in Rongo, Kasipul- Kabondo, Rangwe, Mbita, Ndhiwa,Gwassi, Nyakach, Kisumu, Muhuroni, Nyando, Rarieda, Kisumu Rural and Gem. In some places ambitious politicians who had hatched planes to use KNUT branch elections as the ladders to test the ground had failed mysteriously, when their men and women was badly beaten at the KNUT polls.
The stage was set for those potential aspirants hoping to contest parliamentary, Senate and County governor positions. These hopeful aspirants worked round the clock to ensure that teachers allied to their sides won the elections, and it was the question of the fittest men and women.
Ends