The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Narok Branch recently conducted a by-election at Ole Ntimama Stadium, Narok County, to elect a new Chairman and two other officials. Newton Koech emerged as the new Chairman, winning by 801 votes, while Wilson Tololo, the former Vice Chairman, secured the second position with 460 votes. The election witnessed participation from over 1,000 teachers in the larger Narok County.
In addition to the Chairman, two more officials were elected: David Mantirra as Vice Chair and Samuel Sang as Branch Executive Committee official representing the Mulot region, encompassing Sogoo, Sagamian, and Ilmotiok in Narok.
The Branch Chairmanship position had become vacant due to the resignation of Robert Simotwo, who joined the County government of Narok as the County Executive Committee for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Gender, Culture, and Social Services last year.
During his acceptance speech, Koech expressed gratitude to all teachers in Narok County and pledged to fight for their rights and welfare, including salary reviews. He emphasized that teachers in Narok County deserve the hardship allowance, as it has been gazetted as one of the ASAL Counties.
Koech also vowed to address the issue of early pregnancies in the county, calling for collaborative efforts from teachers and stakeholders to find solutions. He encouraged newly employed teachers to join KNUT so that the Union can collectively address their grievances.
KNUT Secretary-General for the Narok Branch, Simiren Soiyiantet, assured that the Union is dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by teachers in their line of duty and ensuring a conducive working environment. The newly elected officials are expected to lead efforts in improving conditions and advocating for the welfare of teachers in Narok County.