In a significant turnaround for the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), five senior union officials who had been suspended or expelled have now been ordered back into office by the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) effective 30 October 2025.
The officials – Robert Miano, William Lengoiyap, Moses Kimwere, Peter Oluoch and Yvonne Mutindi Musyoka – challenged their removal in a protracted legal battle.
The five petitioners accused KUPPET’s national leadership, headed by Secretary-General Akelo Misori and Deputy Secretary-General Moses Nthurima, of violating the union’s own internal democratic principles and the Labour Relations Act when they suspended/expelled them without fair hearing.
They listed the Registrar of Trade Unions as an interested party.
Earlier interim orders (November 2024-June 2025) had already constrained KUPPET’s leadership: the court ordered the union to remit branch funds and prevented interference with the petitioners’ duties.
In its ruling, the court found that KUPPET’s constitution’s suspension and expulsion clause “contravenes both the Labour Relations Act and the Constitution of Kenya”. Consequently, those provisions were declared invalid and the petitioners reinstated unconditionally.
What this means for the officials
- The five will resume their roles on 30 October 2025.
- They return without conditions, signalling the court’s confidence in their entitlement.
- They may seek arrears or reparation for the period they were out of office.
- Their return may shift the power dynamics within KUPPET’s national leadership.
What It Means to the Union
- Branches may now feel empowered to question national decisions that appear to breach the constitution.
- National leadership will likely face pressure to amend the union’s constitution to align with legal standards.
- Upcoming union elections (scheduled around 2026) may be affected by this ruling and heightened scrutiny of fair processes.
Wider implications for Kenyan education sector
Given KUPPET’s role as a major teachers’ union in Kenya, the ruling reverberates beyond the union’s internal politics. It signals that even trade unions must uphold constitutional and statutory governance norms, which in turn benefits members’ rights, and creates a more transparent union sector.
Take-away: The reinstatement of senior KUPPET officials marks not just a personal win but signals a turning point in Kenyan teachers’ union governance—fairness and the rule of law matter.
