Suspended Trade Unions Congress of Kenya (TUC-K) boss Wilson Sossion has blamed organising secretary Charles Mukhwaya for his troubles.
Sossion was suspended as secretary general on July 24 for alleged gross misconduct.
The nominated MP said Mukhwaya was engaging in “dirty games” while pushing to be nominated to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to represent workers.
“You don’t have to engage in dirty games. You cannot compel a responsible secretary general like me to quit,” Sossion said on the phone.
A statement confirming the board’s July 24 decision of suspending Sossion demanded that he surrender all the union’s property and documents to Mukhwaya as the acting secretary general.
“Pursuant to the constitution of the Trade Unions Congress of Kenya, and your failure to respond to allegations of gross misconduct, the National Executive Board, through a unanimous decision, resolved to suspend you as secretary general with immediate effect,” read
the statement.
The board took the action after Sossion failed to respond to its letters dated April 27 to explain why action should not be taken against him.
His suspension comes just three months after a court reinstated him as the Kenya National Union of Teachers secretary general following months of supremacy battles.
Sossion said he read malice in the statement suspending him. He said Mukhwaya has no authority to remove him from office.
“Knut houses TUC-K at its headquarters, and Mukhwaya should be told he cannot fight us on the streets,” he said.
“They do not pay rent and 70 per cent of income is spent on them, therefore they can vacate our offices and go fight somewhere else.”
Mukhwaya termed the claims that he is of eyeing the SRC position “rumours”, saying he cannot use the board to push for his
personal interests.
“I’m well schooled not to bring my personal agenda in such serious matters of the national executive board,” he said.
“The views expressed in the letter are not mine but of the board, which comprises serious men and women who do not personalise issues.”
He insisted that the union is a corporate body that with well-laid down organs mandated to make decisions.