The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), through its Kirinyaga Central County Office, conducted Kerugoya Municipality school elections.
The elections provided the Commission an opportunity to expose the pupils to the electoral process and educate them on the importance of democracy, good governance and the role the Commission plays in Kenyan elections.
Preparations for the elections began with a sit-down with all stakeholders invested in the elections: School Administration, Teachers, Candidates and students (voters).
The sit-down provided a window for IEBC officials to conduct voter education sessions with students, teachers and the school administration.
The stakeholders were taught how to mark ballot papers, how to cast ballots, and the role of poll officials during elections. Candidates were also briefed on what is expected of them before and during the elections.
IEBC officials brought election materials to the school, set up classrooms as polling stations, and also a tallying centre.
James Mwangi, IEBC Returning Officer, Kirinyaga Central, said they accepted the request by the school to assist in establishing student leadership through election.
He said as part of CBC, the students should learn how the national leaders are elected at an early age.
Mwangi added that exposing them to the electoral system will make them better informed in future leadership and in identifying the qualities of potential leaders.
“We came here today because we were requested by the school management to assist them in establishing a students’ leadership system. The school wants to ensure that the kids, as part of CBC, are able to learn the leadership structure and even how nationally our leadership structure looks like. We are aware that these are the future leaders.”
The process, which involved electing the school President and the Deputy, saw the teachers play the role of presiding officers while IEBC officials played the roles of observers and returning officers. At the end of the voting exercise, the votes were tallied, results forms filled out, and results formally announced and displayed.
Certificates were then issued to those who won the elections. Roy Munene and Sheila Mutegi were elected as President and Deputy-president respectively, garnering 209 votes out of 363 valid votes.
They both gave acceptance speeches during which they pledged effective representation of their fellow students in school management, especially in co-curricular activities.
Solomon Munene, Manager of Kerugoya Municipality School, thanked the IEBC and students for their effort to ensure the success of the election, noting that the purpose is to give students an opportunity to participate in the management of the school to articulate issues that will lead to improving their welfare.
Mr Munene said that bringing in IEBC is a dictate of the new curriculum, to mentor students into future positions of leaders where pupils see what happens during general elections. It also helps to inculcate values of patriotism and integrity.
“We want to give students an opportunity to participate in school management, to ensure an improvement of their welfare.”
Kirinyaga Central Sub-County Director of Education, Lucy Mbai, who witnessed the election, said according to the Basic Education Act, management of schools should involve the lowest level—pupils.
She insisted that the elected student leaders should receive proper training, for effective representation of peers, school guidelines, mediation, and communication skills to enable them to discharge their mandate effectively.
Mbai urged the management to clearly outline the roles of all leadership positions from student president and be taken through Ministry of Education guidelines.
“The student leadership has reduced the crisis that could have led to police action because of the internal negotiations. I encourage teachers to seek feedback from pupils through their leadership, as some students may fear teachers but not their colleagues.”
By Mutai Kipngetich
