Sossion out of KNUT – Labour Ministry

Embattled Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) secretary-general Wilson Sossion has been kicked out of the teachers’ body, a Thursday, August 29, letter by the registrar of trade unions at the Ministry of Labour has confirmed.

Sossion’s position has now been filled -- in acting capacity -- by Hesbon Otieno Agolla, who was, until his election on Thursday, KNUT’s deputy sec-gen.

Sossion’s removal from office took place on Thursday, August 29, when 39 members of KNUT’s National Executive Council (NEC) voted unanimously to endorse his purge.

Sossion’s sacking came on the back of an active court order barring the NEC members from meeting and voting in favour of his removal.

Following the confirmation of his ouster, Sossion wrote to the registrar of trade unions on Friday, August 30, saying he would challenge the decision in court.

“We are surprised to learn that your office has purported to register change of officers whereas the Employment and Labour Relations in ELRC Cause No. 569 of 2019, Wilson Sossion vs Wycliffe Etole (KNUT chairperson) & 40 others had stopped the meeting that was scheduled to take place on August 29, 2019,” said Sossion, through his legal reps J.A Guserwa & Company Advocates, in his letter to the trade unions office.

“Take notice that unless the change of officers is removed or withdrawn, we shall move to court to cite you for contempt,” said Sossion.

The NEC members said Sossion, who was nominated to the National Assembly by ODM Party after the 2017 polls, stopped championing for teachers’ welfare upon his nomination to Parliament.

Sossion, on the other hand, accuses the NEC members of being greedy, saying they (NEC reps) have been given money by the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) top officials to push him out of KNUT.