Fact check: Sossion not appointed TSC boss

TSC CEO Nancy Macharia (left) and Former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion (center). [Willis Awandu, Standard]

A short text making rounds on social media claiming former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) boss Wilson Sossion has been appointed as the new Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive, is false.

The statement, which was shared widely on Thursday, November 17 on social media platforms alleged that Sossion had replaced Nancy Macharia, the current TSC Chief Executive Officer.

The claim is false.

Sossion has since issued a statement on his Twitter account, asking his followers to ignore the widely circulated message.

"My attention has been drawn to social media fake reporting that I have been appointed TSC CEO. This is not true. Teachers Service Commission CEO is appointed through competitive advertising when a vacancy arises. Please ignore such rumours," he wrote.

Macharia has been the TSC CEO since June 15, 2015, when she took over from Gabriel Lengoiboni who had served for 11 years.

Her five-year term, which ended in 2020 was extended.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) maintains that the appointment of the CEO is through a competitive process.

According to the TSC Act, the position is advertised and interested parties are asked to apply. The commission then shortlists candidates and conducts interviews. It is after the interviews that the commission announces the top candidate.

"The appointment of the Secretary to the Commission under Article 250 (12) of the Constitution shall be through a competitive recruitment process," reads Section 16 (1) of the TSC Act 2012.