Teachers’ wrangles over the impending ouster of Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion have taken a new twist after factions stormed the union headquarters, Nairobi, on Thursday morning.
This comes just hours after the Labour Court issued orders stopping KNUT’s National Executive Council (NEC) from convening a meeting to forcefully remove Sossion from office.
However, speaking outside KNUT headquarters some of the officials said the meeting will go on.
“We are here to reclaim the union, as it’s the union doesn’t belong to the teachers because of the wrangles that have been there, created by the outgoing SG, Wilson Sossion. We are here to remove Sossion and replace him. he’s no longer a member of KNUT following his deregistration by TSC, ” one Onditi said.
A section of the teacher present, however, noted that the ouster of Sossion will not solve the challenges teachers are currently facing.
Read: Over 90,000 Teachers Quit KNUT Over Tussle With Employer
They called for dialogue, saying it was the only way to iron issues at hand.
Police have since been deployed to restore calm following the chaotic scenes witnessed.
Sossion obtained the orders after he told the court that he’s likely to suffer irreparable harm if the meeting is to proceed.
Sossion says the council members have no power and the KNUT constitution to convene or proceed with a national executive council meeting that has been postponed.
“I’m not quitting…I’m not quitting…and I cannot be removed, forget about it, no matter how much money they use, I am not on trial. I will only go home if the delegates say so,” said the vocal KNUT boss.
Read Also: KNUT’s Sossion Barred From Attending Teachers’ Conference Despite Receiving Official Invitation
Both TSC and KNUT officials have been summoned to appear before the parliamentary committee today.
Last month, the Labour Court upheld the Teacher’s Service Commission decision to deregister Sossion who is also a nominated member of parliament.
In the ruling delivered on July 26, the court ruled that a suit challenging the deregistration lacked merit.
Sossion, who was deregistered as a teacher in January last year, had urged the court to quash TSC’s decision which he termed unfair and unlawful. He told the court the decision breached the TSC Act.
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