Unruly scenes at Knut conference as delegates demand Sossion resignation

A cross section of Knut officials and policemen when chaos erupted at the  Knut delegates’ conference in Mombasa on Thursday. (Photo: Courtesy)

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) annual delegates’ conference in Mombasa has been disrupted following sharp political and leadership differences.

Some from central  Kenya shouted down the Secretary General Wilson Sossion insisting he had to quit as the secretary general of the Union and focus on his parliamentary duties.

Sossion is an ODM-nominated MP, meaning the political rivalry between Jubilee Party and NASA  may have found its way to the conference. Central Kenya is a Jubilee bastion.

The conference quickly descend into an ugly scene of throwing chairs at each other and police had to be called in to intervene and restore calm.

This is after it emerged, Sossion who is a nominated Member of Parliament, had maintained he will not relinquish his position at the giant union even after a gazette notice requiring him to vacate office.

In a special issue of the Kenya Gazette dated December 13, 2017, East African Affairs, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie said Sossion and 10 other union officials were in violation of the provisions of Article 77 and 250 of the Constitution as they were State officers by way of nomination and election of Parliament.

However, Sossion has defied the order calling it a government ploy to split and weaken the teachers’ union.

Outgoing chairman Mudzo Nzili and his deputy Samson Kaguma are expected to give their farewell address during the three-day meeting after they were sent on leave pending retirement.

A section of the delegates throwing chairs at each other (Photo: Courtesy)