TSC sacks Sossion in fresh bid to force him out of Knut leadership

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has deregistered Kenya National Union of Teachers’ (Knut) secretary-general Wilson Sossion, stepping up pressure on him to relinquish his position at the giant trade union.

In a letter dated July 29 and addressed to Mr Sossion, the commission accused him of paralysing the competency-based curriculum forums in April in various counties and accepting nomination by Orange Democratic Party as an MP in 2017 contrary to TSC regulations.

The letter signed by Mary Rotich on behalf of the TSC chief executive officer, Nancy Macharia, said Mr Sossion on April 6 this year incited teachers against the new curriculum at 11 centres — Kakamega, Bungoma, Kajiado, Kitui, Machakos, Garissa, Kisii, Nyamira, Vihiga and Kwale.

Mr Sossion has been given days from July 29 to appeal the TSC decision failing which he will be dismissed and his name removed from the register of teachers. However, Mr Sossion immediately dismissed the TSC decision, terming it inconsequential.

“The deregistration as a teacher changes nothing,” said Mr Sossion. The termination of his contract, he said, did not affect his rights as a union official under Article 34(A) of the Labour Relations Act,

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) has since rallied behind Mr Sossion, saying the TSC was out to intimidate the Knut boss. In a press statement, Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli said Mr Sossion should retain his position both as Knut boss and as a nominated MP despite the Labour Court ruling last week that upheld an earlier decision by the TSC to strike out the name of the unionist from its list of teachers.

“As Cotu, we acknowledge that Mr Sossion holds a valid and legitimate position in the leadership of Knut. Similarly, the [court] ruling does not in any way affect the position of secretary-general as he is a nominated MP and voted in by members of Knut,” said Mr Atwoli.

Knut chairman Wycliffe Omucheyi said Mr Sossion would continue to serve the union.

In January last year, the TSC deregistered Mr Sossion and Kuppet chairman Omboko Milemba, also the Emuhaya MP, as teachers.