Teachers unions merger will go on, vows Wilson Sossion

Knut has vowed to continue with plans to merge with a rival union despite opposition from some secondary school teachers.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) secretary-general Wilson Sossion said it will go ahead with its proposal to unite with Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) even when the latter has insisted that it is not interested.

Mr Sossion said the merger will be in the interest of teachers and so his union will engage them directly.

“We are not going to rest in the struggle to ensure that teachers are united. Even as I am seated in Nairobi, I do not have teachers in our pockets; teachers are in classrooms. We will go flat out to sell the agenda,” he told Citizen TV in an interview.

“We must set aside our differences. In any case, teachers were divided by the government for the interests of government,” he added.

IMPROVE BARGAINING POWER

Reports of the merger arose from a report by the global teachers’ federation, Education International, which last month recommended that the two merge to improve their bargaining power. (READ: Knut and Kuppet in merger talks)

In a declaration after the Lusaka, Zambia, meeting, Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba and Mr Sossion signed a commitment to start the process.

Kuppet has since denied agreeing to a merger, instead arguing that it supports a federation that will retain the identity of each union.
Mr Milemba said he signed the document because it allowed him to consult his union.

“I did not sign an article for a merger. The leaders agreed that they will go back to talk to their respective organs for directions,” he said on phone.