Pupils from Mavoko Primary School in Athi River sub-county on Thursday conducted a historic elections presided over by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
They voted in officials into their newly created students’ council which comprises of the President, his deputy, governors and senators whereby the president and his deputy replaced head boy and head girl respectively in the former children’s leadership arrangement while governors replaced class prefects and senators, class monitors.
The school’s head teacher, Patrick Muthee, who addressed the press shortly after the eight hours exercise was concluded and an IEBC official announced the results, said the elections were meant to ensure the school becomes child-friendly.
“It is important to involve children in everything we do in school, our intention as the school’s administration was to expose the children to the whole electioneering process to enable them feel its ownership and exercise their democratic rights without interference from their teachers,” said Muthee.
Muthee said the elected president will be given an opportunity by the administration to appoint his cabinet who will all represent other children in the school’s board of management.
He said the school involved IEBC and police in the elections to make it credible and legitimate arguing the children needed independent and professional elections body as a motivation alongside ensuring that it was free and fair.
“We believe in credibility of IEBC, so do the children most of who for ages have felt intimidated and oppressed by their leaders imposed on them by their teachers. The today’s elections has dispelled these malpractices among teachers who are bias in appointing children leaders through bias,” said Muthee.
Muthee said child truancy and absenteeism from schools is on the rise in the region because of unfriendly learning environment that scared them away.
He said all the 1,273 children were excited after participating in elections of their peers who campaigned for various positions they were contesting for three months.
“All the children from class one to eight have participated in the elections, they are excited since they owned the whole process. Some of them became the agents of their candidates to observe the voting process, there are no complaints since the process was transparent, democratic, free and fair. Those who lost have conceded defeat and promised to work with those who won,” said Muthee.
Muthee doubles as the region’s Knut branch executive member lauded the children for conducting the elections maturely.
“The children have today spoken, they have elected their favorite leaders. I have confidence in the elected team, we will train them on proper leadership to make them good leaders and execute their duties effectively,” said Muthee.
The school’s president-elect Abed Nzusyo who ousted his opponent Dennis Muli with 586 votes against the latter’s 231 said Kenyans should learn about the elections.
Nzusyo said their parents among other legible voters across the country should know that elections are not about tribe or ethnic backgrounds but leadership.
“Our parents should know that elections are not about tribe but leadership, even if one loses it is not end of the world. Children have proven that in our elections. We have today created a favorable environment where children can give their views without intimidation,” said Nzusyo.
Muthee called on Kenyans to emulate the children during the 2017 electioneering period and even after elections in a bid of ensuring the country remains peaceful in spite of the results.