Court temporarily suspends replacement of KNUT secretary general Wilson Sossion

A Nairobi Court has temporarily stopped the replacement of Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Wilson Sossion soon after he was suspended.

When the matter appeared before Judge Maureen Onyango the registrar of trade unions, TSC and Knut deputy SG Hesbon Otieno were directed to file their responses before May 9 and appear for hearing on May 10.

"A temporary prohibition order is hereby issued barring the respondents from registering, appointing, recognizing, putting or placing any person as Knut secretary general in place of Sossion pending the hearing of the application," the judge said.

After the Union suspended Sossion on May 1, 2018, he moved to the Employment Labour and Relations Court through lawyer James Orengo to challenge that move.

Judge Onyango at the same restrained Otieno or any other person from purporting to act in place of sossion as KNUT secretary general.

"TSC and the registrar is hereby barred from validating the decision made on April 30 by which Sossion was purportedly suspended,"he said.

In the application filed in court, Sossion says on April 30, 2018, at special national executive council NEC) meeting convened by him to discuss agenda whose notice had previously been given, a rogue fraction of members illegally , irregularly unlawful and unprocedurally purported to pass a motion to suspend him a SG of KNUT.

On the same days, he claims that at a subsequent meeting special national advisory council (NAC) quashed the illegal and unprocedural decision to suspend him and resolved that he should retain the position as SG as well as the nominated MP.

"Despite the decision of a national advisory council quashing the unlawful motion, deputy SG Otieno has purported to hold himself out and he is reportedly acting as the secretary general of KNUT", Sossion says in court documents.

He further claims he is reasonably and justifiably apprehensive that the registrar of trade unions and TSC in furtherance of the unlawful decision, may purport to act upon unlawful motion and deregister him as the SG to the detriment of the union and its members.

While seeking the order, Orengo informed that unless the orders sought are granted, there is a real and imminent threat of anarchy being fomented within the union to the detriment of its members in the interest of the public.

If removed as the SG, Orengo claims Sossion functions as the chief executive officer and chief spokesperson of the union, thus usurpation of his role would have serious consequences and repercussions of the union and its members.

"A subversion of the rule of law and order anywhere, is a threat to justice and the rule of law. It is in the interest of justice that the reckless and the unlawful rogue faction should be checked and nipped in the bud instantly", Orengo said.

Sossion was suspended on May 1,208 where the changes were announced during a press conference addressed by Wycliffe Omuchei.