• Acting secretary general Hesbon Otieno says union will challenge decision to reinstate ousted official '
Image: ENOS TECHE
The Kenya National Union of Teachers has said embattled secretary general Wilson Sossion will be locked out of office despite a court order reinstating him on Monday
Sossion was removed from his position on Friday after weeks of acrimony that culminated in a National Executive Council meeting.
The meeting went on despite Sossion having obtained a court order barring it. He was consequently deregistered by the Labour Ministry.
On Monday, acting secretary general Hesbon Otieno said the union will challenge the decision to reinstate Sossion.
"The union's top organ passed a resolution and this ought to be respected. However, we will pursue this through a legal channel," Otieno told the Star.
Sossion moved to court on Monday and obtained an order reinstating him as the Knut secretary general.
After he was removed last week, the meeting resolved to have his deputy Otieno take over in an acting capacity. The change was duly communicated to the Labour Ministry.
But the Labour and Employment Relations Court reinstated the embattled unionist just four days after the union’s supreme authority voted him out.
Speaking after obtaining the order, Sossion termed his removal from office a storm in a teacup.
He however said he held no grudges against those who took part in his removal.
"This is a country governed by the rule of law. The union should respect the court orders," Sossion said on Monday.
There were however more questions than answers as none of the union's top leaders accompanied Sossion as has been in the past.
The union offices in Nairobi remained closed on Monday but is expected to resume operations on Tuesday.
In removing Sossion from his post, the National Executive Council relied on a decision by the Teachers Service Commission to deregister him as a teacher.
TSC said Sossion entry into politics, following his nomination to Parliament by ODM had compromised his neutrality and thus going against the Code of Conduct and Ethics for teachers.
The fiery unionist, who has several run-ins with TSC over a raft of issues, admitted it was not only the teachers’ employer who has been baying for his ouster.
“This is the end of sideshows. Let's now get down and work to improve teachers welfare, the union is big enough to accommodate all of us,” Sossion said.
Hours after being reinstated, Sossion asked TSC to release union dues.
He said he was ready to open negotiations with the commission. The union wants TSC to implement the collective bargaining agreement reached in 2017.
In July, TSC ran two parallel payslips after losing a court case that challenged the implementation of tools used to assess teachers and guide promotions under the CBA.
edited by peter obuya