Battle for top seats in Knut intensifies
Kenya National Union of Teachers delegates celebrate the victory of their candidate in one of the union’s organs. Campaigns for National Steering Committee posts the held in December are going on. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Candidates have stepped up their campaigns across the country for the posts of chairman, first and second vice-chairman, as well as deputy secretary-general.
- Those elected get to have a say on how the nearly Sh2 billion Knut collects from its members, and its investments, are used.
- Mr Wycliffe Etole Omucheyi, the acting national chairman, will be seeking confirmation to replace Mr Mudzo Nzili, who retired on May 16 this year.
- Mr Sossion declined to be drawn into the campaigns, saying the decision lies with the delegates.
The battle for top positions in the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) to be filled during the 61st annual delegates conference in December has intensified.
Candidates have stepped up their campaigns across the country for the posts of chairman, first and second vice-chairman, as well as deputy secretary-general, hoping to convince the 1,887 delegates to elect them.
The fight for the lucrative positions are allocated to achieve regional balance, and those elected get to have a say on how the nearly Sh2billion Knut collects from its members, and its investments, are used.
Those elected will sit on the 11-member National Steering Committee that manages the day-to-day activities of the union, which boasts 200,000 members countrywide.
REPLACE MUDZO NZILI
Each region is allocated a number of delegates, as follows: Central (217), Nairobi (44), Coast (140), Eastern (393), North Eastern (21), Nyanza (330), Rift Valley (503) and Western (239).
Mr Wycliffe Etole Omucheyi, the acting national chairman, will be seeking confirmation to replace Mr Mudzo Nzili, who retired on May 16 this year. So far no other candidate from Western has expressed interest in the position, which is reserved for the region.
But the most hotly contested seat is that of first vice-chairman, which is traditionally reserved for Central, but which current assistant secretary-General Collin Oyuu from Nyanza is eyeing.
Mr Oyuu will battle it out with Kiambu East Executive Secretary Clement Gicharu and Nyeri Branch Chairman Patrick Karinga. Mr Karinga and other Central leaders have opposed Mr Oyuu’s candidature, saying he should focus on his current position.
DEMOCRATIC UNION
But Mr Oyuu told the Nation that he will resign and vie for the first vice-chairman’s post.
He has dismissed the Central leaders laying claim to the position, saying Knut is a democratic union, and anyone has a right to seek any position.
“Good labour practices require that one be confirmed to the position when he acts more than six months,” insisted Mr Oyuu, saying he has been tested and he merits.
But Mr Karinga said the region will not go for any other position. “We should allow Central to get what it deserves, which is the position of first vice-chairman,” Mr Karinga told the Nation.
Until his retirement on April 2 this year, Mr Samson Kaguma was the first vice-chairman while Mr Omucheyi was second vice-chairman.
SOSSION OUSTER
The second vice-chairman's slot is reserved for the Coast, and those keen on the seat are national trustee Kadzo Unda and Taita-Taveta branch Executive Secretary Rosalie Mkanjala.
Candidates from Nyanza are campaigning for the position of assistant secretary-general, which will be vacant once Mr Oyuu resigns.
Candidates from Central could have a rough time marshalling the necessary support after they supported the ouster of Mr Sossion in May. They also objected to his close ties with Nasa, which nominated him to the National Assembly.
The union's constitution stipulates that a candidate wins by a simple majority. Mr Sossion declined to be drawn into the campaigns, saying the decision lies with the delegates.
