Knut delegates meet in Nakuru Monday to elect new union officials

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR

Nakuru, Kenya: The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) opens a new leadership chapter Monday as over 1,900 delegates gather in Nakuru to elect the sixth secretary general.

The election follows the death of David Okuta Osiany who was until early this year, the Knut secretary general. If the decision by the National Executive Council (Nec) last month stands, then Knut National Chairman Wilson Sossion will ascend to the coveted top seat.

Nec successfully mediated between Mr Sossion and the acting Secretary General Mudzo Nzili, ending a fierce supremacy display that threatened to split the union.

The two officials had expressed interest in becoming the union’s sixth secretary general succeeding Mr Okuta. Mr Nzili plunged into early campaigns with a message that he was Okuta’s rightful heir.

He made reference to a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ reached some time back and demanded it should be honoured.  But Sossion said pressure from teachers and delegates was mounting on him to change roles from national chairman to secretary general of the union.

The succession politics turned murky when camps began to form around the two officials, with harsh words flying across the factions. The union currently has more than 198,000 members.

Sources within the union said Nzili may have given up his ambition because of the ‘tyranny of delegates’ that would have given Sossion an easy win. Rift Valley, which is Sossion’s turf, has 500 delegates against 100 of Coast region where Nzili comes from.

Central region has 250 delegates, Nyanza has 210, Western has 200, Nairobi 56, and Eastern 400 as North Eastern has 20. Union branch secretaries who spoke to The Standard indicated Sossion was headed for major victory and termed the move by Nzili to take up the chair “wise”.

“He would have gone home. This was a movement that would have swept him home,” said one of the branch executive secretaries from Central region.

Sossion and Nzili were silent commanders of their camps as the politics gained momentum. Under Nzili’s camp, Sossion was to remain the national chairman. His camp had also identified Clement Omollo from Nyanza and John Mbate from Nairobi to be deputy secretary general and assistant secretary general respectively.

Sossion’s camp had offered Nzili the position of national chairman, failure to which Samson Kaguma (from Central) would have taken the position. Mr Kaguma is the current union’s first national vice chairman. 

However, after the agreement by Sossion and Nzili, succession politics have now shifted to the position of deputy secretary general.

Migori County Knut Executive Secretary Charles Katege and his Siaya counterpart Clement Omollo will face off for the position. There will be no changes to the remaining positions.

Insiders say Mr Katege is likely to trounce Omollo as he has the full support of Sossion’s supporters.

Omollo on the other hand has support from Nzili’s team. Both Katege and Omollo yesterday expressed confidence of clinching the position.

“I have been to all the regions and the support has been humbling. The union wants a worker. Someone who can add value to the leadership,” said Katege.

He said his union politics started in 1984, noting that he has been successful in all his undertakings. 

“I became a member of the sports committee. In 2011, I was elected to Nec. I have also been the Migori executive secretary,” he said.

Omollo also said he has traversed all the regions and received overwhelming support.

He is currently executive secretary, Siaya. He was elected to Nec Nyanza (branch) in 2007.

“I have what it takes to work with the leadership of the union,” he said.