5,000 Dock Workers Union members vote at nine port stations after court fights
Key points
- More than 5,000 Dock Workers Union members voted from 6 am to 6 pm at nine centres: Mombasa port, Nairobi ICD, Lamu port and Kenya Ferry.
- Posts: General Secretary, National Chairman, Vice Chairman, Assistant GS — after court fights over the union’s management.
- GS: Abubakar Abdullahi vs Salim Kumaka. Chair: Gunda Kaneno vs Hassan Shabura. Four names for vice-chair; two for assistant GS.
- Election chair Renson Thoya said the poll was calm with no serious complaints; KPA provided space.
From 6 am the queues ran at nine gates — Mombasa headquarters, Mobile Plant, Container Terminal One, MCC, Baggage Hall, Dockyard, plus Nairobi Inland Container Depot, Lamu and the Kenya Ferry crossing. More than 5,000 Dock Workers Union members were choosing a new national slate after months of court files, Eastleigh Voice reported.
The day was to close at 6 pm, then a count and a consolidation across stations. On the ballot: General Secretary (Abubakar Abdullahi vs Salim Kumaka), National Chairman (Gunda Kaneno vs Hassan Shabura), Vice Chairman (Abdalla Randani, Amini Musya, Moris Morangi Mayega, Shafi Ali) and Assistant GS (Gideon Matiku vs Rashid Mwagassare). Election committee chair Renson Thoya said he was on the line with presiding officers and that no alarm had been raised: “Should any issue arise, agents representing all candidates should be involved.” Kaneno said KPA management had opened space to vote. KPA employee Christine Wambua, campaigning for GS, said getting to ballot day had not been easy. A court order is what finally let the union run the poll after leadership disputes. Results were due after the nine boxes were counted.
A calm day is not a concluded CBA
Whoever wins inherits a two-year-delay story on the KPA collective agreement. Members will judge the new names on that file, not on turnout photos.
Kenya news: Kenya News. Verified 5,000 voters, nine sites, 6-to-6 window and candidate slates from Eastleigh Voice.
The election committee should publish station-by-station tallies. The registrar of trade unions should confirm the court order that unlocked the day.
KPA should stay out of the count beyond providing rooms — a facilitated poll must not look like a managed one.
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Official gazettes, court rulings and agency circulars may update these facts after publication; readers should verify any deadline, fee or court date against primary sources before acting.
Based on Eastleigh Voice reporting of voting day. Final results were still being consolidated in that account.
