TVET Trainees Setting the Pace for Election of their Leaders through a Democratic Process

The electioneering period has created a buzz in the country and the trainees at the Mabati Technical Training Institute (MTTI) have not been left out. Youth at MTTI recently engaged in an election campaign period to elect a new team of student leaders through a democratic process. The candidates shared their vision on why they should be elected in student leadership positions which included executive roles like Chairman and Vice Chairman and other roles like, Environment, Health, Gender Equality and Communications, Women Representative, Entertainment and Sports.

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At the Mabati Technical Training Institute, we not only train youth on technical and vocational skills but also equip them with leadership skills, to enable them influence decisions made within the institute through an active student leadership body that changes annually. This year too, the aspirants campaigned to be elected from 13^th to 16^th June, 2022 and elections were held on 17^th June, 2022 through a secret ballot. This process of electing leaders through a democratic process empowers youth to voice issues affecting them and prepares them to participate in their civic duty of electing their political leaders.

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As leadership opportunities keep presenting themselves, women have aspired to leadership positions but continue to face discrimination when it comes to performing their roles in the public and private domain. At MTTI, we promote equal opportunities to both gender, encouraging our female trainees to take up leadership positions and be agents of influence among their peers.

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The role of the student body at the Mabati Technical Training Institute is to ensure issues affecting trainees are brought to the attention of the institute’s management. The elected leaders also have opportunities to share ideas with the management of the institution. This year, we have included positions like Head of sports, to allow for health and wellness of the trainees, as well as enable interactivity and engagement with peers, which are all recipes for holistic learning.

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The team elected is therefore able to work hand in hand with the administrative team of the Mabati Technical Training Institute to help run the day to day activities. For example, the head of the environment department works closely with the Deputy Principal to implement environmental activities like planting of trees to beautify the environment and nurture the kitchen garden to produce vegetables for the school feeding program. Dennis Nyagilo, who is the Principal at MTTI emphasizes on this whole process as a basic right to learners within the institution. “Persuading voters is the essence of a student election campaign. Successful candidates must persuade voters that they deserve their individual votes and garner the critical votes for the respective offices. This will give students a representation that they deserve. As MTTI we believe that this is a fundamental right to the students.”

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As we gear up for elections, we are glad that our learners have set an example by organizing a peaceful and issues based campaign, showing the world that a free, fair and peaceful election process is issues focused, transformational and encompasses servant-leadership. We therefore call upon aspiring political leaders vying for the upcoming National general elections this year to emulate this so as to promote peaceful co-existence of our communities.

Congratulations to the newly elected Student office at MTTI!