Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Collins Oyuu has declared he will defend his seat in the union’s national elections scheduled for April, while daring former KNUT boss Wilson Sossion to make good on his promise to return to the union’s leadership.
Speaking in Kakamega North during a sub-county KNUT election at Friends Malava Primary School, Oyuu dismissed Sossion’s comeback bid as misplaced, insisting that the former secretary general’s time to serve teachers had expired.
Oyuu challenged Sossion to produce a legal gazette notice reinstating him to the teachers’ register, arguing that without it, he cannot contest in the upcoming polls.
“You served as KNUT secretary general from 2013 to 2021, before moving into national politics as a nominated MP and later as a Chief Administrative Secretary. Now you want to fall back to KNUT as a last resort. We are stable, focused, and not ready to recycle you,” Oyuu said.
The KNUT boss accused Sossion of belittling himself and insulting the integrity of teachers by attempting a comeback.
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Oyuu said Sossion was hiding his head in the sand through the court ruling, and yet he knows it was only through the gazette notice that he will be allowed to contest.
“All done and dusted, I wish him well as he manoeuvres to get a grip of himself, and whether he will be cleared or not, I will be defending my position, as so far I have no one who has declared interest in the position as they are satisfied with my leadership skills”, he said.
Oyuu maintained that he enjoys strong support within the union, noting that no other candidate has declared interest in the secretary general’s position. He pointed to ongoing engagements with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over reviewing the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) cycle from four years to two, saying the talks are aimed at accelerating teachers’ career progression.
The Kakamega North election saw Shadrack Muyaka Ngai elected as executive secretary, defeating Shadrack Tovoko, who had held the seat for over a decade. Muyaka pledged to revive KNUT leadership in Malava, accusing his predecessor of neglecting teachers’ rights at both sub-county and national levels.
Meanwhile, Sossion celebrated a recent Court of Appeal ruling that reinstated him to the teachers’ register, describing it as a victory against unfair labor practices by the TSC. On his social media pages, he expressed gratitude to his lawyer, Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei, and praised President William Ruto’s administration for redeeming teachers who had suffered professional bullying.
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“As one of Kenya’s best teachers, I have dedicated my life to mentoring students and improving the status of teachers. Today, I am proud to be reinstated, thanks to the Judiciary’s fair determination,” Sossion posted.
Oyuu reitaretaed that for one to be reconsidered back to the teachers register was no walk in the park, and Sossion, having been a secretary general, should be better placed to know that.
By Wakhungu Andanje
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