Proponents Call for Kuppet Treasurer's Credentials Scrutiny
In a dramatic turn of events, the National Treasurer of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Wicks Njenga Mwathi, finds himself in the midst of a legal battle over his eligibility to hold the position. The case, currently pending in court, stems from allegations that Mwathi is not a registered teacher and was unlawfully seconded from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
The petitioners, teachers William Lengoiyap and Yvonne Musyoka, have filed a suit seeking to suspend Mwathi from office and nullify his election to the treasurer position in past years, including the current one. They argue that Mwathi was interdicted and deregistered by the TSC, which disqualifies him from holding office under KUPPET's Constitution that requires national officials to be registered teachers of good standing.
The petitioners claim that Mwathi has been impersonating a teacher and that his election to the treasurer position was unlawful. They seek a declaration to this effect, as well as compliance with both the KUPPET Constitution and the Teachers Service Commission Act.
As of now, no final court ruling has been reported publicly, leaving Mwathi's legal authority to hold the office uncertain and subject to judicial determination.
The petition also accuses Mwathi of owning a private lending company, Fast Growth Credit Limited, which has been loaning funds to the union at an annual interest rate of 36%. The petition seeks a conservatory order to suspend Mwathi from office as KUPPET treasurer and an independent auditor to examine all financial transactions between KUPPET and Fast Growth Credit Limited.
Furthermore, the petition accuses the KUPPET Secretary-General of abusing office by clearing Mwathi to run in the elections despite being aware of his ineligibility. The petitioners allege that Mwathi uses KUPPET staff to source clients for his company, pays himself through the firm in an opaque manner, and benefits from the arrangement with the cooperation of the Secretary-General, who is a co-signatory to the union's bank accounts.
The teachers accuse Mwathi of impersonating a teacher and illegally holding office. They want the court to nullify Mwathi's election as National Treasurer in 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021. The petition does not mention any new information about Yvonne Musyoka's claims or the Secretary-General's alleged abuse of office.
Interestingly, the Teachers Service Commission has refused to provide official documentation confirming Mwathi's deregistration, despite several requests. The petitioners argue that TSC's failure to release Mwathi's deregistration records violates their constitutional right to access public information.
In summary, the legal status of Wicks Njenga Mwathi as the National Treasurer of KUPPET is currently under challenge in court. The case is pending hearing, and no final court ruling has been reported publicly. Therefore, Mwathi’s legal authority to hold the office remains uncertain and subject to judicial determination. The teachers accuse Mwathi of impersonating a teacher and illegally holding office, and they seek a declaration to this effect, as well as compliance with both the KUPPET Constitution and the Teachers Service Commission Act.
- The ongoing court case, centered around Wicks Njenga Mwathi's eligibility to hold the position of National Treasurer in KUPPET, raises questions about his standing as a registered teacher, given the allegations of his deregistration by the Teachers Service Commission.
- The Petitioners have called for a scrutiny of Mwathi's past elections as KUPPET National Treasurer, including those held in 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021, citing his alleged impersonation as a teacher and legal ineligibility to hold the office.
