Fresh resolve in South Rift as Sossion allies win Knut elections

Officials allied to Mr Wilson Sossion, secretary-general of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) have sailed through the union’s elections in the South Rift region.

Mr Alfred Rop, the Bureti branch secretary, and his team were elected unopposed for another five year term in a poll conducted in Litein.

In Bomet, branch secretary Malel Langat was also re-elected. He defeated his sole rival Desmond Langat in the poll overseen by assistant secretary General Clement Githau.

The unionists vowed they will not relent in the bid to have the Knut register restored by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). The fight has gone on for about two years now.

"The government, and especially the TSC, should know that it is not going to be business as usual. We want the commission to stop meddling with union affairs and expunging members from the register without their consent,” said Mr Langat.

“For one and a half years, the union has been starved of membership dues by the TSC yet teachers have been remitting the money. It is unfortunate that the commission is hell-bent on ‘killing’ Knut yet it fronted and fought for its establishment.”

Popularity contest

Mr Rop said the new leaders will rally behind Mr Sossion’s team despite what he described as a clear and persistent onslaught against them by the government.

“It is important for steering committee members in the national office to support the leadership of Mr Sossion so that the union has a strong team that can [help it reach] greater heights by restoring confidence in members,” he said.

Mr Sossion has alleged that the TSC is keen on seeing him ousted.

“We are aware of a scheme by TSC to arm-twist union officials to oust me so as to have the withheld dues released. I will not budge. We will fight for the rights of teachers to the end. Interference in union matters by the teachers’ employer will not be tolerated as it is undemocratic,” he said in an interview a week ago.

Speaking in Bomet after the election, Mr Githau expressed confidence that Knut will soon surmount its challenges.

“The TSC has tinkered with the register in what has seen dues shrink from Sh144 million to less than Sh40 million in one year. TSC has sought to project the union as one with less than 50,000 members, from over 180,000, in a well-orchestrated scheme to bring us down,” he said.

He noted, however, that the large number of teachers who turned up for the elections clearly demonstrated that Knut is popular.

Others elected

Lily Maritim was declared the Bureti branch woman representative, a post previously held by Emily Kirui, who retired.

Benard Ngetich took over the assistant branch secretary office that fell vacant after Charles Cheruiyot retired. He was the only candidate.

In Bomet, Peter Rono became treasurer after defeating Victor Langat. He succeeded Simon Peter Cheborgei who also retired.

The assistant executive secretary post, previously held by Paul Nyolei who retired, was taken by Paul Kiprono Sang.

Joseph Cheruiyot was re-elected chair unopposed while Betty Chepkirui Langat replaced Sophie Langat, who did not seek re-election, as Bomet woman representative.

The union’s nationwide elections are expected to come to end on March 20, with the Sotik branch as the last to hold the vote.