A cloud of uncertainty has hit the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Yatta Branch elections after one of the contenders for the Secretary General position was formally suspended barely hours to the polls scheduled for Saturday.
Richard Kitaka, who was set to vie for the KNUT Yatta Branch Secretary General seat, received an official suspension letter from the KNUT National Election Board dated January 21, 2026, declaring him ineligible to contest in the union’s elections slated for January 24, 2026.
The letter, signed by KNUT Election Board Chairman Joseph Malel, states that Kitaka had earlier been suspended from the union on October 3, 2025, a decision he allegedly failed to appeal against, thereby rendering him unqualified to participate in the elections.
Handwritten acknowledgements on the letter seen by Channel 15 News, indicate that it was received on January 23, 2026, at around 4:00 pm, during the nomination period and less than 24 hours to the election day.
Speaking to members of the press on Friday at Kithimani, Kitaka faulted the timing of the suspension, accusing his competitor of orchestrating what he termed as underhand tactics to lock him out of the race.
“This is a deliberate attempt to short-change teachers who support my candidature. I have a strong following, and denying me the chance to contest is denying them their right to choose,” Kitaka said.
He further argued that barring him from the contest violated his constitutional rights, insisting that he had complied with all nomination requirements and had been actively campaigning for the position.
Kitaka was expected to battle it out with the current Yatta Branch Secretary General, Michael Kasimba, in what had been shaping up as a tightly contested race.
The development has raised concerns among some union members over the management of the electoral process, particularly the issuance of critical eligibility decisions on the eve of polling.
KNUT has maintained that all election-related disputes are handled by the National Election Board, and affected parties are free to lodge appeals through the established internal mechanisms.
The KNUT Yatta Branch elections are expected to proceed as scheduled on Saturday amid growing scrutiny from teachers and union observers.
