By Roy Hezron
KNUT Secretary Wilson Sossion addressing the media in Kitale after Rift Valley Regional union elections.
The National Executive Council (NEC) members of Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) are meeting this Saturday June 12, 2021 to set the date of the union’s national election.
In a noticed to all NEC members dated June 8, 2021, all the NEC members have been directed by the Secretary General Wilson Sossion to attend the Special National Executive Council Meeting without fail at the Union Headquarters in Nairobi.
“You are hereby notified of a Special National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting scheduled to be held on Saturday June 12, 2021 at 9.00 am in the NEC Boardroom. Please, make arrangements to attend without fail,” reads the notice signed by Sossion.
The notice which is copied to the acting National Chairman Collins Oyuu and acting National Treasurer James Ndiku, however, didn’t clearly state the agenda of the meeting, but what is obvious is that the union national election will be the main agenda.
The Special NEC meeting is one of the major key meetings towards the union national elections since it is through this meeting the date of election is set, venue agreed upon and how the delegates will be transported, and the register to be used agreed by NEC members.
It emerged that the union’s top leaders who included Oyuu and Sossion among others yesterday spent the better part of the day planning for the meeting.
Oyuu and Sossion had previously read on different scripts of the Union constitution on the date of elections and over which conference is responsible for forthcoming union national elections.
Patrick Karinga who is vying for KNUT National Chairman post arrives with Collins Oyuu who is running for Secretary-General for a meeting with Kakamega union officials. Photo Andanje Wakhungu
The stalemate started when Sossion in his letter dated April 22, 2021 quoting Article VII (A) of Knut constitution, issued a two months’ notice of the Annual Delegates Conference (ADC) with two main agendas of the union’s general elections, and tabling and adoption of various reports.
“Pursuant to Article VII (A) 3 of the KNUT Constitution…notice is hereby issued of Annual Delegates Conference (ADC) of the KNUT,” stated Sossion in the circular which was copied to the TSC, Acting Union Chairman, National Treasurer (by then John Matiang’i), all branch officials and the relevant Government labour agencies.
This was not well received by Oyuu who in a terse letter to Sossion dated April 23, 2021 maintained that it’s only a Special Delegates Conference that is supposed to be convened, adding that his (Sossion’s) circular had created confusion in the union’s leadership.
“Generally, the circular has generated a lot of heat in the leadership of the union across the country and I wish to be honest and state that this circular goes against the spirit of the KNUT Constitution (2015) with regards to Special Delegates Conference where our focus should be one item, National Elections 2021,” stated Oyuu in the letter which was too copied to all those Sossion’s letter had copied.
This was not the first time the two were taking each other head-on in official communications involving letters over election date and others involving verbal communication, since the same happened in March this year.
Oyuu by that time had reminded Sossion in his letter dated March 8, 2021 to convene the steering committee meeting on March 17, 2021 to calm down allegations surrounding the union’s general elections.
In his reply dated March 15, 2021, Sossion stated that meetings of whatever nature in the union are convened after consultations of the top three officials who set the agenda for the meetings.
Considering that the notice Sossion gave initially expires on June 22, 2021 with June 30, 2021 being the deadline for all trade unions to conduct their elections with TSC policy barring teachers to engage in any activities during school days of Monday to Friday; the most possible date for election could be June 26, 2021 (Saturday) or June 27, 2021(Sunday).
According to Knut Constitution Article XIX, notice of a Special Conference, which has all the powers and governed by the same rules of Annual Delegates Conference (ADC); is required to be sent to all branches at least two weeks (14 days) before the conference.
Since the Special NEC meeting will be this coming Saturday June 12, 2021; the 14 days period will be Saturday June 26, 2021 as the possible date of elections.
The union is heading to election when it has emerged that the National Steering has split into two, one supporting Oyuu’s candidature to oust Sossion while the other group is for Sossion sympathizers.
This is after Oyuu’s line-up which it is terming itself as “Team Change” had majority of Sossion’s initial supporters notably Hesbon Otieno who is defending his Deputy Secretary General seat, James Ndiku who is eying the National Treasurer seat which was left vacant after John Matiang’i resigned and Rosalina Mkanjala.
