A Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Annual delegates’ conference in Mombasa was disrupted after members started throwing chairs at the Secretary General Wilson Sossion forcing police to intervene
The conference held on Thursday had officials from the central region shutting down Sossion insisting he had to step down as the head of the Union and focus on his parliamentary duties.
Things escalated and turned into an ugly scene due to the sharp political and leadership differences within the union.
This is after it emerged that Sossion, who is a nominated Member of Parliament, had maintained he will not relinquish his position at the giant union even after a gazette notice to vacate office.
[caption caption="Scene of a chaotic KNUT meeting"]
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In a special issue of the Kenya Gazette dated December 13, 2017, East African Affairs, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie stated that Sossion and 10 other union officials were to vacate office.
She further stated that they were in violation of the provisions of Article 77 and 250 of the Constitution as they are now State officers by way of nomination and election of Parliament.
However, Sossion vowed to be undeterred by the order stating it was a government ploy to split and weaken the teachers’ union.
He further accused Ms Kandie of playing politics in a bid to affect the operations of the giant teachers union.
"I am not going anywhere. This is a trade union not a government entity. I am the KNUT secretary-general. Let the delegates decide," Mr Sossion stated.
[caption caption="KNUT Secretary General and ODM MP Wilson Sossion"]
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Outgoing chairman Mudzo Nzili and his deputy Samson Kaguma are expected to give their farewell address during the three day meeting after they were sent on leave pending retirement.
