Ballot Papers Burnt as KUPPET Elections in Homa Bay Disrupted by Rigging Claims
The exercise, which began smoothly in the morning, descended into disorder around midday following claims that some teachers were voting more than once, while others were allegedly allowed to cast ballots despite not meeting the legal requirements
By : Mweru Mbugua
Voting in the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) elections in Homa Bay County was abruptly halted on Sunday after chaos erupted over alleged electoral irregularities
The exercise, which began smoothly in the morning, descended into disorder around midday following claims that some teachers were voting more than once, while others were allegedly allowed to cast ballots despite not meeting the legal requirements
As tensions escalated, some ballot papers were burnt while others were destroyed, prompting labour officers overseeing the process to suspend the election
Teachers at the polling centre said the situation worsened after the number of voters overwhelmed election officials, making it difficult to effectively manage the exercise
Ben Obop, a candidate vying for the chairmanship, accused labour officers of failing to cooperate equally with all aspirants, saying the perceived bias contributed to confusion and mistrust during the voting process
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The contest has been described as highly competitive, with at least 37 candidates seeking various positions within the union
Following the disruption, teachers have called on the KUPPET National Election Board and officials from the Ministry of Labour to urgently deliberate on the way forward
They are demanding the organization of a fresh election that will be peaceful, transparent, free, and fair
