Former Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion.
Former union boss Wilson Sossion has won a major legal battle at the Court of Appeal on Friday.
The court ruled that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) erred in firing the former secretary-general of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) as a teacher in 2018.
The win is significant for Mr Sossion as he has officially declared his intention to contest for the post that he resigned from in 2021. However, his termination of employment as a teacher posed a hurdle for him to stand in the elections.
Mr Sossion was terminated from employment after he was nominated to the National Assembly by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), a position he served in until 2022.
“While the respondent demonstrated good and valid reasons for the appellant’s termination of employment, gave notice of the said reasons to the appellant, granted him adequate opportunity to respond before the termination of his employment, and the termination was to this extent not unlawful; the procedural infractions rendered the termination unfair,” reads the court ruling.
TSC legal director Cavin Anyuor told the Nation that Mr Sossion remains de-registered from the teachers’ roll. He was struck out in 2019 following his opposition to the competency-based curriculum (CBC), with the Commission accusing him of inciting teachers not to attend CBC trainings.
“There’s no court order saying he should be re-registered. The ruling only says the termination was unfair. To be registered after de-registration, one must apply within eighteen months. He’s been out of the register for years and has never re-applied,” Mr Anyuor said.
Plan to recapture seat
Former Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion during interview with the Nation.
The Court of Appeal ruling comes days after Mr Sossion wrote to his successor and the current holder of the position, Collins Oyuu, to notify him of his intention to vie for the position. He confirmed to the Nation that he plans to recapture the seat.
If he makes it to the ballot, it will be a culmination of the delayed showdown with Mr Oyuu after Mr Sossion having resigned and withdrawn from the contest just days to the 2021 election.
“Pursuant to Article 41 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, Section 31 of the Labour Relations Act, the constitution of the Kenya National Union of Teachers and all other enabling provisions of law, I Wilson Sossion hereby formally notify you of my interest in contesting for the position of secretary-general of Knut in the forthcoming 2026 union elections, as directed and published by the Registrar of Trade Union,” Mr Sossion says in the letter.
Knut has been conducting its branch polls which are expected to conclude on March 7, 2026. It is after the nationwide elections that the ,national vote must be held before June 30 2026.
The former secretary-general has also asked to furnished with details of the date and venue of the national elections.
Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu.
However, Mr Oyuu yesterday said he had not received the letter and dismissed Mr Sossion’s attempt to recapture the seat.
“I don’t know what he’s thinking about. He can’t participate in our elections. The constitution of the union clearly states that for national officials, you can’t vie if you’ve not been a teacher for eight consecutive years. If he wants to contest, why write to me? All other people who are interested in vying are not writing to me,” Mr Oyuu told the Nation.
Asked why he has decided to seek leadership of the union again, Mr Sossion said:
“It’s teachers who are pressuring me...I’m only fifty-six and I’m eligible to vie.”
In the 2022 General Election, Mr Sossion vied for the Bomet senatorial seat but lost. He was later appointed a Cabinet Administrative Secretary for Tourism but the High Court stopped appointment of all CASs, ruling that the positions were created unconstitutionally.
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