At Merishaw School, elections are more than the process of choosing prefects. They are an opportunity to teach students what leadership means and to give them the experience of earning the trust of those they will serve.
The journey to the 2026–2027 Students’ Council began with a structured electoral process. Candidates developed their manifestos, presented their ideas, campaigned, and engaged their fellow students, challenging them to make informed choices about who they believed could lead them.
To safeguard the integrity of the process, a school Electoral Body comprising both teachers and students was constituted to oversee the elections and ensure they were conducted fairly and transparently.
But the election was not the end of the process.
A period was set aside for any appeals or complaints to be raised and addressed. Only after the process was confirmed to be clear was the newly elected leadership formally cleared to assume office.
On Friday, 4th September 2026, that journey reached its defining moment.
The school came alive with pomp and colour as the newly elected leadership arrived for the swearing-in ceremony. The President, Vice President and Prime Minister made a grand entrance in a G-Wagon, receiving greetings from delegates before proceeding to the ceremony.
But beneath the spectacle was a deeper message:
leadership is a responsibility, not a privilege.
The incoming leaders took their oaths of office and formally signed their declarations, publicly committing themselves to the responsibilities entrusted to them.
They were then presented with the instruments of leadership; including the Students’ Code of Conduct, School Rules and Regulations, Students’ Council Constitution and Students’ Council Code of Conduct.
Because before a leader can enforce the rules, they must first understand them.
For the President, one symbol carried particular significance: the Shepherd’s Staff.
Rooted in Merishaw’s Maasai cultural foundation, the staff represents
guidance, protection, responsibility and the call to lead through service. A
reminder that a shepherd does not simply stand before the flock, but watches
over it.
The President, Vice President and Prime Minister also received their official badges and ceremonial sashes, marking their transition from candidates to office bearers.
The ceremony concluded not simply with celebration, but with fellowship, as the new leadership was hosted for a special dinner, giving them an opportunity to begin their term together, not only as elected representatives, but as a team.
At Merishaw School, the lesson is clear:
