Coast officials of the largest teachers’ union have asked their national chairman Wilson Sossion to shelve his interest in the secretary-general’s position, warning that the move is divisive.
Kilindini branch executive secretary Dan Aloo, who was flanked by 10 of his colleagues, described Mr Sossion’s ambitions as misplaced. (READ: Knut Coast leaders warn Sossion)
In an interview with the Sunday Nation, Mr Aloo said a delegates’ conference slated for December had only two items on the agenda: first, to discuss a report by the acting secretary-general and second, to conduct by-elections to fill the positions left vacant by the death of secretary-general David Osiany and the retirement of his deputy Xavier Nyamu.
“If they (Sossion’s camp) are talking about the chairman crossing to the SG (secretary-general) position, then that will have to be a special Annual Delegates Conference which can only be called when we are having a general election to pick six of the eight members of the national steering committee,” he said.
The officials who spoke at celebrations to mark World Teachers Day at Bomu primary school in Mombasa County, instead vowed to back acting SG Mudzo Nzili – who is from the Coast region – for the post.
Mr Aloo said the union had a long-established tradition of choosing its senior officials, which he accused Mr Sossion of trying to circumvent.
“Our chairman is greedy for power because his current position is equally powerful in terms of duties and remuneration. So why does he want to reverse roles?” he said.
Mr Kittu Gwengwele, the Kaloleni executive secretary, said that based on the rotational basis, it is time for Mr Nzili to be confirmed as the new SG.
Mr Aloo claimed that whenever it was time for an official from the Coast region to move up the ladder, they were faced with numerous hurdles.
But Mr Sossion faulted union leaders who say that some positions should be preserved for any one region, adding that Knut was not an “eating club”. (READ: Teachers split over Knut polls)
NOT IN LAW
The chairman argued that the “tradition” being floated by regional leaders is false because nowhere in the union’s constitution is there an article or clause that says any position is reserved for Coast, Nairobi, Nyanza or any other region.
“Those floating this are ignorant of the fact that the late Ambrose Adongo came as a delegate but later emerged as the union’s secretary-general after an election in 1970,” he told Sunday Nation, adding that those resting on tradition are out of touch with democratic tenets.
His apparent refusal to keep with the said tradition has raised concern among former top Knut officials like Lawrence Majali (secretary-general) and George Wesonga (chairman), but Mr Sossion dismissed them, saying it was during their tenure that teachers were “forced” into contractual employment.
“[Mr] Majali has no moral authority to comment about Knut affairs because were it not for our strike to force the government to employ those teachers on permanent and pensionable terms, they would still be working on their contract basis,” he said.
Contacted by phone, Mr Nzili said he has what it takes to be secretary-general, and those insinuating that he should go for the deputy position are not realistic.
He vowed not to step down for anyone and neither would he accept any other position.
Mr Nzili was assistant SG prior to Mr Osiany’s death and the retirement of the deputy SG Mr Nyamu.
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