UASU officials oppose Wasonga term extension

A section of  University Academic Staff Union (UASU) officials have protested against amendment of the lobby group's constitution that will now see term limits of executive members scrapped off. 

 The uproar stems from the approval and certification of the union's constitution amendments by the registrar of trade unions in a letter dated August 6, 2025.N

 Speaking on Thursday during a press briefing at the University of Nairobi grounds, the disgruntled UASU members decried the 'opaque' manner in which the constitution was amended.

 They accused the UASU Secretary General, Constatine Wasonga, of spearheading the process that they claim is a plot he is using to extend his stay at the helm of the union's leadership through "illegal and unethical" means.

 "Dr Wasonga's intent is extending his 10-year tenure, which comes to an end at the end of this year, through the back door because he wants to promulgate a new constitution and then begin on a fresh term," said Prof Maloba Wekesa, UASU SG UoN chapter.

 The amendment, among other things, also introduces positions including that of a woman representative, which the aggrieved members feel "add no value to the union."

 It also allows those running for national positions to be automatic delegates as opposed to the previous requirement that compelled one to seek mandate from their respective chapters first.

 "It puts a stipulation that can actually close some smaller chapters, which makes them operate under the mercy of the executive," he said.

 He faulted Wasonga of colluding with the registrar Ann Kanake to subvert the will of the people, accusing the latter of acting against her own instructions that she earlier issued regarding the amendments.

 He said the amendment did not meet the voting threshold. According to Article 23 of UASU constitution, for the constitution to be amended, it must attract two-thirds of the delegates to vote in its favour.

 “Alterations of/to the constitution or rules and regulations shall only be by resolution voted upon by secret ballot and passed by two thirds of the members at a National or special Delegates Conference,” the constitution reads in part.

 This, according to Prof Wekesa, was not attained in the union's last National Delegates Conference as only 270 delegates voted to have the legal document amended, failing to meet the required minimum 300 votes.

 "She (Kanake) was very categorical that a vote needed to have been held, which did not meet the threshold when we were in the last NDC," said Wekesa.

 They questioned the intent of the registrar in quickly ratifying the flawed process.

 "Why is she abrogating on her own instruction that a two-thirds majority is required to amend the UASU constitution? What powers does she under to issue a certificate of registration of an amendment when her own instruction is being ignored?" paused Richard Bosire, UASU chairperson, UoN Chapter.

 "She must explain to the public to the members why she acted in that manner, and in our thinking, she must have acted under the influence," he added, calling for investigations into her conduct.

 "We have written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to do investigations,'' he stated.  "All public officers operate under the constitution and the law of the land. She cannot make decisions outside the constitution, outside law of the land, outside the UASU constitution."

 He also called on the Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Alfred Mutua, to intervene and "take action against her behavior" which they described as wanting.