Acting KNUT Secretary General Hesbon Otieno with two other officials. /CFM-FILE.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 11-The woes of the embattled Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion don’t seem to be ending anytime soon, after the union’s national steering committee on Wednesday asked him not to dare set foot at the headquarters.
The union’s national Chairman Wilson Omucheyi said that Sossion ceased to be their Spokesman when he was de-registered by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
“We are surprised by our brother Sossion who is masquerading that he is in charge of the union when he knows that he has been deregistered by the registrar of trade unions, the Acting Sec-Gen Hesbon Otieno was given that mandate on August 29 by the national executive council and his name is duly registered by the registrar of trade unions. We are a trade union that is governed by a constitution,” said Omucheyi.
Omucheyi made the declaration a day after Sossion, flanked by several KNUT branch officials, addressed a press conference, insisting that he is still “in-charge of the union”.
The installed Acting Secretary Hesbon Otieno told teachers that the union is on course under his leadership, adding that they are ready to serve them while ensuring cordial labour relations.
“This union will not be run by chest-thumping but it will be run through cordial labour relations where we relate with all other partners in such a way that all challenges are addressed amicably,” said Otieno.
Since being appointed by to steer the union, the NEC has already met the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to iron out their differences and forge a new cordial working relationship.
They will also be meeting TSC on Thursday to discuss pertinent issues affecting teachers, including the reinstating of interdicted teachers, the issue of two payrolls, and promotion of teachers as well as the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The national treasurer John Matiangi asked Sossion to respect the national steering committee’s decision to suspend him and stop creating confusion in the union.
“Our brother should never step into this building if the registrar hasn’t returned him as the union’s SG, it’s not going to be business as usual, let him respect the decision of the National Executive Council,” said Matiangi.
According to KNUT’s top organ, the fate of Sossion will be determined during the annual delegates’ conference in December; this is despite Sossion having obtained a court order overturning his ouster.
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