In a significant setback to former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion, the Rift Valley Region—his political and organisational home base—has formally endorsed the current Secretary-General Henry Collins Oyuu and the entire National Steering Committee for another term.
The endorsement, delivered on Friday, reshapes the emerging political landscape within the country’s oldest teachers’ union.
The decision by the Rift Valley Regional Council comes at a time when rumours are intensifying that Sossion may stage a comeback bid to challenge Oyuu in the next KNUT elections.
The officials are from 14 counties, 25 KNUT branches from the expansive Rift Valley Region.
Although the former SG has not made any official declaration, the mere speculation has sparked debate among teachers nationwide.
Rift Valley’s bold move now deals a heavy blow to those expectations, signalling that the region may not rally behind one of its own this time.
Speaking during the press briefing after the region’s Annual General Meeting held at a hotel in Kabarnet town, Baringo County, Regional Council Secretary Martin Sembelo, who also serves as the Executive Secretary for the West Pokot Branch, said the region has full confidence in the current leadership.
He praised Oyuu for stabilising the union, strengthening its relationship with the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), and championing teachers’ rights during a period marked by major policy reforms.
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Sembelo noted that the national office has restored unity, revived branch structures, and returned KNUT to a more collaborative posture that benefits classroom teachers.
He said Rift Valley values continuity, accountability, and strong negotiations—qualities that the region believes have been delivered under Oyuu’s leadership.
Other senior officials echoed this support, emphasizing that teacher welfare, deployment fairness, and improved professional standards have remained central to the national steering committee’s agenda.
They argued that KNUT cannot afford internal wrangles at a time when teachers expect solutions to issues such as JSS staffing, heavy workloads, and delayed career progression pathways.
The Rift Valley leadership urged members across the country to remain united and avoid being swayed by political tensions that could weaken the union’s bargaining power.
They insisted that stability within KNUT is critical as education reforms continue to unfold and as the union prepares for high-stakes engagements with government agencies.
They also declared support for the Union first national vice chairman Malel Langat.
With this endorsement, the Rift Valley Region has firmly aligned itself with Oyuu, effectively signalling a shift in the union’s internal power dynamics.
The move not only strengthens the current SG’s re-election prospects but also complicates any potential comeback plans by Sossion—making the upcoming KNUT election cycle one of the most intriguing in recent years.
By Philip Koech
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