By Roy Hezron
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) acting National Chairman Collins Oyuu and Kericho branch Executive Secretary Stanley Mutai have struck a deal to oust Secretary General Wilson Sossion.
The duo met with other officials in Eldoret yesterday and agreed on a lineup that will take on Sossion’s team in the coming national elections slated for June this year.
It was agreed that Oyuu takes on Sossion for the Secretary General post as Mutai guns for the position of First Vice National Chairman from the group calling itself Team Change.
The line-up was released after the Rift Valley Regional meeting where elected officials unanimously endorsed Oyuu’s candidature for Secretary General.
The meeting attended by officials from 23 out of 25 branches in Rift Valley also endorsed Mutai’s candidature for the position of first Vice National Chairman.
“I want to say that we’re going to have a very strong team that will go round the country, campaign everywhere and ensure that we get good leaders who will be able to be good negotiators with Teachers Service Commission and the government of the day,” said KNUT Deputy Secretary General Hesbon Otieno.
Others in the new line-up include Otieno of Nairobi region, an erstwhile Sossion ally who will vie for Deputy Secretary General, while Rosalia Mkanjala from Coast region will contest for Assistant Secretary General.
Nyeri Branch Chairman Patrick Karinga will contest for National Chairman while John Wesonga the Mumias Branch Executive Secretary from Western will go for Second Vice National Chairman position.
The position of National Treasury has been earmarked for James Ndiku from lower Eastern who is expected to replace John Matiang’i who has since moved to the Ministry of Education.
Also in the team is Ali Hussein Abdi from North Eastern and Kennedy Nyamwanda from Nyanza who are slotted to contest for Deputy and Assistant National Treasurer respectively.
Mercy Kiambati (Upper Eastern) and Mercy Ndung’u (Rift Valley) will contest the First and Second Women Representative positions respectively, while Edward Olando will represent persons living with disabilities.
Those who were fronted for the positions of First, Second and Third Trustee include Boniface Tenai (Rift valley), John Gitari Munyi(Eastern) and Fred Nguma (Coast).
Candidates endorsed from Rift Valley for the seven slots in the National Executive Council after the regional elections are Malel Lang’at (Bomet), Benard Maiyo (Nandi), Sammy Bor (Uasin Gishu), Richard Lendaya (Samburu), Francis Bundotich (Baringo), Jacinta Dorcus Kiptoo (Elgeiyo Marakwet), and Alice Bor (Nakuru).
Oyuu stated that the line-up is sealed and there is no intention of changing it, as Otieno emphasized on the need of revamping and restoring the image of the union.
“It’s paramount for us to remember that this union has walked a journey of much turmoil. It has come a time that we have to redeem its image and bring it back to its original factory settings,” said Otieno.
During the Rift Valley elections, John Musere (Trans Mara) and John Koech (Chepkoilel) were elected as regional Chairman and vice respectively, while Jacob Kipchumba Arusei (Uasin Gishu) and David Soyandat (Narok) were elected as Regional Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively.
Others are John Cheber (Marakwet) and Phoebe Maneno (Trans-Nzoia) who were elected for the position of Regional Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer respectively.
Also elected were Ruth Lang’at (Kipkelion-South Rift) and Grace Keter (Wareng-North Rift) are new Regional First and Second Women Representative respectively.
“As teachers of this country we are organized and focused and come June we will have fresh blood in Knut leadership. We will overhaul its leadership,” said Eldoret West Branch Executive Secretary and Regional Secretary Kipchumba Arusei.
Other regions will also nominate their representatives for the seven slots in the National Executive Committee.
