The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Collins Oyu has called on the newly elected officials to focus on rebuilding the trade union instead of apportioning blames on anybody for the woes that bedeviled it.
Speaking outside Siaya KNUT offices where he made a maiden visit as the union boss, Oyu said the events of the past that almost ground the union to a halt was now water under the bridge, adding that the new leadership had embarked on a journey to reclaim the lost glory.
Oyu, who was previously the KNUT Rarieda branch executive secretary called on the teachers who had lost faith in the trade union to troop back, adding that the new leadership was committed to ensuring harmony in the labour movement.
Flanked by National Executive Council Members, led by Siaya Branch Executive Secretary, Alex Dunga, Oyu said that teachers were facing a lot of challenges and the sooner they joined hands to push for their rights, the better.
He paid tribute to the former union officials, led by re-known former Secretary General, Ambrose Adeya Adongo for their contribution to the labour movement that saw teachers’ welfare improved.
Oyu was elected to the helm of KNUT last weekend following the resignation of the fiery Secretary General Wilson Sosion.
Early this week, he led a team of KNUT and the Kenya Union of Post Primary education teachers (KUPPET) in a meeting with the Teachers’ Service Commission to discuss a new collective bargaining agreement.
The meeting however did not yield much as both KUPPET and KNUT accused the TSC of failure to put an offer on the table, citing poor economic performance.
By Philip Onyango
