Court halts KUDHEIHA national elections amid fresh leadership dispute

The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nakuru has suspended the national elections of the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA), plunging the powerful workers’ union into a fresh leadership crisis.

The court issued conservatory orders halting the polls after a petition was filed citing alleged violations of the union’s constitution and claims of intimidation targeting aspirants for national positions, including the Secretary-General seat.

Lawyer Tonge Yoya, representing the petitioner, argued that the electoral process had been fundamentally compromised.

He told the court that the elections had been called contrary to the union’s constitution, which requires all 36 regional branches to nominate two delegates each for national voting scheduled between April 1 and June 30, 2026.

Yoya accused current Secretary-General Albert Njeru of unilaterally setting February 28 as the election date and failing to share the list of delegates, allegedly frustrating campaigns by other aspirants. He further claimed there had been intimidation of candidates seeking senior national offices.

“This case is about protecting institutional integrity and ensuring that KUDHEIHA remains governed by its constitution,” Yoya said outside court.

An aspirant for National Chairman, Ole Keyua, also alleged that the names of aspirants and delegates had not been published, raising concerns about transparency. Njeru declined to comment on the allegations by the time of publication.

Earlier this week, Njeru had sought court approval to proceed with the elections, but the application was dismissed, with the court insisting that the process must strictly adhere to the union’s constitution.

The case will be mentioned on March 12, 2026, for further directions.

KUDHEIHA represents workers in hospitality, domestic services, education and health sectors. The outcome of the dispute could significantly shape the leadership and stability of one of Kenya’s most influential labour unions.