Wycliffe Omucheyi appointed acting Knut chairman

Mr Wycliffe Etole Omucheyi has been appointed the acting national chairman of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), replacing Mudzo Nzili.

Mr Omucheyi was unveiled on Sunday to the public by Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion at the union’s headquarter in Nairobi County.

RETIREMENT

Mr Nzili will retire on May 16 while his deputy Samson Kaguma will retire on April 2 next year. They have both been granted six months mandatory terminal leave prior to their retirement.

Mr Sossion described the new chairman as a man with immense experience in trade union matters, having been the chairman of the Vihiga Knut branch for many years.

“This is a man who served at national executive committee for many years and the best schools for national leaders is NEC,” he said.

The new chairman sits on the Special Committee of Education International that is preparing resolutions on teacher training and professionalism, which will be discussed in Thailand in 2019.

DELEGATES

Mr Sossion asked delegates to confirm Mr Omucheyi as the chairman in December in Mombasa County during their 60th Annual Delegates’ Conference.

“I have no iota of doubt that delegates will have confidence in him and confirm him as chairman. He will preside over the ADC,” said Mr Sossion.

Mr Omucheyi asked delegates to confirm him saying he has the experience to take the union forward.

“I am alive to the fact that the responsibilities that are ahead are enormous. I hope that I will fit into the big shoes of Mr Nzili and with the support of all teachers and leaders, I will serve teachers diligently,” he said.

He appreciated Mr Nzili for mentoring him.

LEADERSHIP

Mr Omucheyi first joined the Knut leadership in 1992 when he was elected an official of Emuhaya in Vihiga County.

In 1996, he was elected as a branch official and served for three terms then he was elected as executive secretary. He also served as a NEC member.

In July 2010, he was elected second vice-chairman of the union.

“I was taught that if you are vice you should always lay law [and] be a student to your senior leaders. I have worked diligently under Mr Nzili with the support of Mr Sossion and I promise to steer the union forward, so help me God,” Mr Omucheyi said.

During the meeting, Mr Nzili and national treasurer John Matiang’i were absent. Mr Sossion was accompanied by Mandera Knut Executive Secretary Kullo Mohamed and Mr Omucheyi.

Mr Sossion said there is no bad blood between him and other union leaders, insisting that leaders must be ready to retire when their time come.