A group of members of the Tailoring and Textile Workers Union (TTWU) has rejected the union's current leadership, claiming the most recent branch and national elections were marred by irregularities that denied workers the opportunity to elect leaders of their choice.

The workers, who describe themselves as young members committed to improving the welfare of employees in Kenya's textile industry, say they no longer recognise the legitimacy of the current union leadership and are preparing a nationwide campaign to mobilise members for leadership changes.

The allegations place the spotlight on TTWU General Secretary Rev. Joel K. Chebii, who the complainants accuse of running the union in a manner they say no longer reflects the interests of ordinary workers.

According to the workers, the problems began during the last branch and national elections.

They allege the elections were influenced by bribery, favouritism, and manipulation, resulting in delegates who did not genuinely represent workers. The complainants argue that those delegates later elected national officials who lacked the support of the union membership.

The workers now say they consider those elections invalid and no longer recognise the current leadership.

The group claims it intends to visit textile factories across the country, beginning in Mombasa, before moving to other regions to consult workers and shop stewards on the future of the union.

According to the complainants, the consultations will include collecting signatures from members as part of a process they hope will lead to changes in the union's leadership.

The workers further say they intend to organize peaceful visits to union offices across the country, including the union's national headquarters in Nairobi, where they hope to press for reforms.

The group says one of its main concerns is what it describes as intimidation of workers and union officials who hold views different from those of the current leadership.

According to the complainants, officials who question decisions allegedly face victimisation and exclusion from union activities. They further claim complaints made to the Registrar of Trade Unions have not resulted in meaningful action. These allegations have not been independently verified.

The workers also accuse the union leadership of failing to engage employers through constructive negotiations, alleging that confrontational approaches have made it harder for employees to secure better terms and conditions of service.

Another concern raised is the alleged appointment of staff within the union based on tribal considerations and favouritism rather than merit. If substantiated, such allegations would raise serious governance concerns within an organisation whose mandate is to represent workers from every part of the country without discrimination.

The complainants also question reported attempts to amend the union's constitution, claiming members were not adequately consulted before changes were proposed.

They further allege that the General Secretary is frequently unavailable to members and difficult to reach, leaving many workers without support when they seek assistance from their union.

The workers say they intend to write to the Registrar of Trade Unions, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), asking for investigations into the union's financial management and governance. The allegations have not been independently verified.

The Tailoring and Textile Workers Union is one of Kenya's registered trade unions and is regulated by the Registrar of Trade Unions under the State Department for Labour and Skills Development, which falls under the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

Tailors and Textiles Workers Union is led by Rev. Joel K. Chebii and Sis. Maria Agunda. Rev. Joel Chebii serves as the Executive National General Secretary and simultaneously holds the high-profile position of Chairman General at the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU-K).

Working alongside him, National Chairperson Sis. Maria Agunda manages internal administration and anchors structural governance, presiding over official conferences to align union branches with national policy.

Union officials are expected to manage members' affairs in accordance with the Labour Relations Act, the union's constitution and principles of accountability.

Below is the complaint received.

Please hide our identities.

We are members of the Tailoring and Textile Workers Union. We do not recognize the last branch and national elections because we believe they were influenced by bribery and favoritism instead of the wishes of workers.

We believe the wrong delegates were elected and they went on to elect leaders who do not represent the workers.

We are planning to visit textile companies across Kenya to consult workers and collect signatures to initiate leadership changes within the union.

We are concerned about intimidation of workers and union officials with different opinions, alleged tribalism in appointments, attempts to change the union constitution without proper consultation, and what we believe is poor accountability within the union.

We also intend to ask the DCI and EACC to investigate the union's financial records and governance.