TSC de-registers KNUT secretary general Wilson Sossion

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Wilson Sossion (pictured) has been struck off the register of teachers.

A letter sent to Mr Sossion on Tuesday by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) notified him that he was being removed from teachers’ register the same day he allegedly caused paralysis of Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) on April 23, 2019 in 11 centres.

The teachers' employer said Sossion was behind the failure by teachers to show up for training in Kakamega, Bungoma, Kajiado, Machakos, Garissa, Siaya, Kisii, Nyamira, Vihiga and Kwale.

“Pursuant to termination of your services as a teacher with TSC, I am directed to say that the commission has determined that your name be removed from the register of teachers from July 29, 2019,” the letter sent by Mary Rotich, on behalf of TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, read.

The letter stems from a judgement by Employment and Labour Relations Court, which found that TSC had a right to kick out Sossion for joining politics.

Justice Nelson Abuodha held that his nomination to Parliament put him on partisan political activity, which goes against his employer’s regulations.

“The respondent (TSC) has ably demonstrated that the petitioner’s association and acceptance of nomination as MP on ODM party ticket went against its tenets as an institution in charge of regulation and discipline of those in the teaching service,” ruled Justice Abuodha.

The court declined to fault TSC for not interdicting Sossion before firing him after finding it would have been of no use as he had already been sworn in as MP.

Elected MP

The commission wrote to Sossion and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Chairman Omboko Milemba last year, informing them that they were no longer teachers. Milemba is an elected MP serving Emuhaya Constituency. 

“The commission has decided to terminate your services as a teacher with effect from January 15, 2018,” Ms Macharia wrote.

Meanwhile, Sossion has received backing from the union and Central Organisation of Trade Union (Cotu), who claim the verdict and the letter have no effect on his reign.

In reaction, Sossion told to The Standard he would not cede his post as Knut secretary general. “I am not going anywhere,” he said.