Reinstate our members or we reject BBI - Knut

The Kenya National Union of Teachers has threatened to oppose the Building Bridges Initiative if the government fails to reinstate its membership.

This comes months after the government deprived the union its members from over 180,000 to the current less than 30,000, hence disabling the operations of the 110 Knut branch offices across the nation.

Speaking on Saturday while gracing the Baringo branch Knut elections held in Kabarnet town, Baringo Central, National Secretary General Wilson Sossion accused the Teachers Service Commission of frustrating the longest-serving teachers union.

“If the government decides to become stubborn on us then we will be stubborn to support the BBI,” Sossion said.

He threatened to mobilize the thousands of teachers across the country to vote against the proposed document.

“We still have our teachers intact even if TSC attempted to deregister them from the union and disabled their two per cent salary deduction to the union through the check-off system,” he said.

He was backed by Baringo branch Executive Secretary Joshua Cheptarus, his Koibatek counterpart Francis Bundotich, Nandi North’s Josphat Serem and Elgeyo-Marakwet woman Representative Jacinta Kiptoo

The unionists, therefore, accused the TSC of defying the Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) dated May 2018 and going ahead to disorganize the union.

“TSC should comply with the vitality of the law instead of applying blackmail in its undertaking,” Sossion said.

He said the government wants to see him out of Knut so that it can get the chance to frustrate the Kenyan teachers even more.

“I can proudly say if that is the reason to remove me to step on the teachers, then I will rather die with them, I am not going anywhere,” he said.

Sossion said instead of pushing him away, the government should support him for fighting for the rights of teachers.

He said he will rally behind the teachers until all the selfish and greedy individuals running the government are out.

“I will continue serving the union as well as the parliament the way several of my colleagues do and no amount of intimidation whatsoever shall discourage me from championing for the teacher's promotions and salary increment,” he said.

Sossion further opposed the delocalization of teachers saying the government should train more teachers and employ them within their localities.

“Delocalization is the major cause of understaffing in some hardship regions like North Eastern and Baringo,” he said.

Both the branch executive secretary Joshua Cheptarus, Chairman Silas Rutto, Vice-Chair Musa Kipkoti and the Treasurer Elizabeth Keitany retained their seats during the highly competitive election. 

Edited by Kiilu Damaris