Eyes on Sossion as Knut readies for polls on April 3

Former Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General Wilson Sossion. /FILE

The Kenya National Union of Teachers has convened a special delegates conference on April 3 to conduct national elections, setting the stage for a possible leadership shake-up at the influential teachers’ union.

In a notice to members dated March 13, Knut secretary general Collins Oyuu said the meeting and subsequent polls will be held at the Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu city.

"All branches are therefore directed to prepare and appoint delegates to the special conference through properly constituted Branch Executive Committee (BEC) meetings as provided in the Knut constitution," Oyuu said.

He added that delegates’ allocation slots would be communicated later, while nominations are scheduled for a day before the elections.

The exercise follows branch elections conducted in late January, with officials elected from all the 110 Knut branches set to form the delegate pool that will participate in the national vote.

Those seeking national positions must be professionally trained teachers with at least eight years of continuous service, and must also be union members.

Branch officials intending to contest in the national elections are required to resign from their positions before vying.

As preparations gather pace, attention has increasingly turned to one figure whose potential return could significantly alter the dynamics of the race.

Wilson Sossion, the former Knut secretary general, previously indicated he will be on the ballot seeking to reclaim the position nearly five years after stepping down to focus on his legislative duties as a nominated Member of Parliament.

His resignation on June 25, 2021, on the eve of the union’s elections, brought to a close an eight-year tenure as secretary general, having previously served as national chairman.

Early indications of his interest in the April contest had sparked eligibility concerns after he was deregistered as a teacher by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), a move that effectively removed him from the union.

The Knut constitution provides that one ceases to be a member if they are dismissed and their teaching certificate cancelled by TSC, and further stipulates that only registered members are eligible for nomination in national union elections.

However, the Court of Appeal settled the matter, ruling that the deregistration and termination of the veteran teacher were unlawful.

The appellate judges found that the processes leading to his dismissal violated employment laws, clearing the path for his potential participation in the upcoming polls.

Speaking during an interview with TV47 on March 5, Sossion said he had met the necessary eligibility requirements, including notifying Oyuu of his candidature, and was weighing the appropriate time to formally declare his bid.

“Maybe what is remaining for me is to make a concrete pronouncement, which I will do at the right time,” he said.

Attempts to obtain confirmation on the expected announcement were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls or text messages, only indicating that he was in a meeting.

Before his June 25, 2021 resignation, Sossion had served the union for more than two decades, including his stint as secretary general from December 9, 2013, when he took over from David Okuta.

Known for his fiery statements, his leadership was defined by sustained engagement with TSC on issues of teachers’ welfare, union membership and labour rights.

Born in 1969, Sossion is a graduate of Egerton University with a degree in Agriculture. He joined the teaching profession in 1993 at Tenwek High School in Bomet county, his alma mater.

He ventured into elective union leadership in 2001, winning a landslide victory that saw him join the Knut National Executive Council the same year.

In 2007, Sossion contested and won the position of second vice national chairman following the retirement of Joseph Chirchir.

He later rose through the ranks, securing the vice chairman’s post unopposed before becoming national chairman, a position he held until 2013 when he succeeded Okuta as secretary general.

As the country awaits his final word, Sossion's confirmation to contest the Knut elections would undoubtedly reshape the race.

His presence is likely to raise the stakes and turn the elections into a fierce contest, one that would possibly force rivals to rethink strategies and alliances and rally support more aggressively.