Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion Saturday accused the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of meddling in the affairs of the union.
Speaking in Kitale at Simatwet village Saturday, Sossion said the recent sacking of teachers was a way of intimidating teachers to pull out of the union.
He reminded TSC that that KNUT has the constitutional mandate to defend teachers, adding that it was wrong for TSC to sack teachers without due process.
“TSC is interfering with the affairs of KNUT by intimidating some of our members to make them move out of the union to be free from discrimination by the employer,” he said.
The unionist added that teachers have a right to join a union of their choice and the employer should not use unconstitutional ways to move them out.
“We subscribe to internal law that advocates for every worker to join a trade union of their choice,” he said.
He said that the union will be fighting TSC in court on Tuesday following contempt of court by the employer.
“TSC has developed a tendency of defying court rulings. We have sought redress from the courts over the failure to implement the collective bargaining agreement which is a right of every teacher,” he said.
The secretary general accused TSC of working with a few KNUT officials to eject him out of office the wrong way, adding that he will not allow anyone to intimidate him.
Sossion said that the court ruling allowed him to continue serving as the union’s boss and also work as nominated MP and that he was in office to stay.
“TSC should comply with court orders instead of taking teachers in circles by trying to interfere with the affairs of their union. Their scheme to change KNUT leadership has hit a snag,” he said
Trans Nzoia KNUT executive secretary Dickson Okema and his West Pokot counterpart Martin Sembelo said TSC was wrecking the union from within but such efforts will not bear fruits.
By Pauline Ikanda
