Chaos at Dock Workers Union as Ousted Leaders Reject 'Illegal Takeover' Claims

The crisis has split the union into two camps -- one backing ousted Secretary General Simon Sang, and another rallying behind Sulman Owuor, who has declared himself the new Secretary General.

MOMBASA, Kenya Apr 7 - The Dock Workers Union of Kenya (DWU) is facing an escalating leadership standoff after two rival factions emerged, each claiming legitimate control of the union following a contested series of court rulings, internal meetings, and disputed leadership changes.

The crisis has split the union into two camps -- one backing ousted Secretary General Simon Sang, and another rallying behind Sulman Owuor, who has declared himself the new Secretary General following a controversial weekend meeting.

The Owuor-led group insists it is acting within the law, pointing to a February 26 ruling by the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Mombasa that reinstated Owuor and four other officials previously removed from office.

Following their reinstatement, the group convened a meeting at Mbaraki Sports Club on Saturday, where they announced sweeping leadership changes, including the election of Owuor as Secretary General.

The meeting also saw Amin Iloti named National Chairperson, Kibibi Omeri appointed National Treasurer, Maskat Salim made Vice Treasurer, and Mejumaa Chirau assigned Chairperson of the Gender Committee.

Other appointments included Bernadette Bahati Musyoki as Assistant General Secretary, Ruwa Mpate as Assistant Chairperson, and Granton Patrick and Darlene Ongwena as representatives for male and female young workers.

Owuor's allies maintain that their actions reflect the court's reinstatement order and correct previous leadership irregularities.

The opposing camp, aligned to Simon Sang, has dismissed the developments as unconstitutional, accusing Owuor's group of attempting an illegal takeover of the union leadership.

DWU Assistant Chairperson Bula Kaneno said the Saturday meeting did not meet constitutional requirements, arguing that members were not properly notified.

"According to our constitution, a special meeting requires a 14-day notice. There was no circular issued -- only a WhatsApp message," Kaneno said.

He maintained that the union leadership remains unchanged until elections scheduled for June 25, 2026.

Rashid Mwagasare, acting Assistant Secretary General, also rejected the meeting, calling it illegitimate and warning against attempts to bypass agreed electoral timelines.

"We agreed on elections in June. What happened was not an election but a kangaroo meeting," he said.

The Sang-aligned faction has written to the Registrar of Trade Unions, the Labour Commissioner, and the Kenya Ports Authority, urging them not to recognize the new leadership claims.

The leadership battle has been accompanied by fresh accusations over alleged misuse of union funds.

Chief Shop Steward Justin Ngure claimed that immediately after their reinstatement, Owuor's team altered bank signatories and began making withdrawals without member approval.

He alleged that Sh1.2 million was withdrawn on March 3 as court-ordered payments, followed by Sh185,000 without explanation, and a further Sh80,000 on March 9.

Ngure said the transactions were not communicated to members and demanded accountability over union finances.

At the center of the dispute is a February 26 judgment by the Employment and Labour Relations Court, which found serious governance and financial irregularities within the union.

The court determined that Simon Sang had mismanaged union affairs, violated the constitution, and improperly used statutory processes to effect leadership changes, including filing Form Q without following due procedure.

Justice M. Mbaru ordered the reinstatement of suspended officials and directed that the union leadership revert to its position as of December 13, 2024.

The court also ordered a comprehensive forensic audit of the union's accounts over the past three years, to be conducted under the supervision of the Registrar of Trade Unions, with a report expected within 30 days.

With both factions claiming authority, mounting allegations of financial mismanagement, and legal orders still being interpreted differently, the Dock Workers Union now faces an uncertain leadership future.

As preparations for the June 25, 2026 elections continue on paper, the union remains deeply divided, with each side insisting it is the rightful custodian of DWU leadership.