Why Knut officials want to kick out Wilson Sossion
What you need to know:
- National Executive Council members vow to send the secretary-general packing.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) offices are heavily guarded by police officers to block officials from access.
The National Executive Council members had scheduled a Thursday meeting intent on removing the Secretary-General Wilson Sossion from office.
The executives forced their way into Knut House on Mfangano Street but were restrained by the police.
On Wednesday, Mr Sossion had moved to court and obtained an order stopping the meeting of the organisation’s top brass.
Why do teachers want Sossion out?
The officials are dissatisfied with how Mr Sossion has been handling the standoff with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), their employer.
They claim he operates as a lone ranger and does not represent their interests.
Meru Knut branch executive secretary, Caxton Miungi, says Mr Sossion is no longer a teacher after he was deregistered by the TSC.
"We are going to force him out of office today. He cannot continue serving as the Secretary General when the Teachers Service Commission has already deregistered him," he said Thursday.
"We cannot allow him to continue being the SG yet teachers are suffering," he added.
His Kisii South counterpart, Victor Ombasa, says Mr Sossion has been running Knut issues without consulting other national officials members.
"Who has given him permission to close the Knut offices?" he posed.
Other issues the Knut officials accuse Mr Sossion of are:
- Hindering negotiations with TSC.
- Frosty relations with the government.
- Disrespect of Education ministers since he took office.
- That his call to dissolve TSC was his own opinion as well as that of Knut joining the Central Organisation of Trade Unions - Kenya.
- Embarrassing the union at the CBC conference where Knut officials were locked out.
What does Sossion say?
The embattled Knut secretary-general blames the TSC for the ouster plot.
"I am not quitting office, those being used to incite teachers must know that I was legally elected and I cannot be removed through street demonstrations," he said.
-Additional reporting by David Muchunguh.
