New Kenya National Union boss vows to restore lost glory

Newly elected Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General, Collins Oyuu says he will strive to recover the lost glory of the once giant tutors’ union.

Oyuu, who was elected unopposed on Saturday, said he will bring order to the union even as he accused his predecessor, Wilson Sossion of running down Knut.

“The teams were two – team status quo and team change. Team status quo was being led Sossion and they are now ‘orphaned’ and I am remaining as the father of team change,” said Oyuu, upon his election.

Rejuvenating office

Oyuu said he will lead a team that will revive, rejuvenate and bring Knut back to its feet.

“It was a personal achievement for Sossion to have doubled up as an MP and Secretary General but was the genesis of problems at the union,” he added.

The new office bearers also accused Sossion of working solely and making decisions on behalf of the National Executive Council, which caused friction amongst the officials.

Prior to his new position, he served as the Knut acting National chairperson. 

“Very few people know me publicly but where was I to be known? I am here now as the Secretary General so get prepared to know me,” added Oyuu.

Oyuu, 56, was first elected the branch Executive committee member in 1996 before becoming Bondo Chairperson in 2002.

According to Knut Constitution, elections are held after five years.

However, owing to age grounds, Oyuu will be expected to retire an year ahead of his end of his tenure.

Sossion announced his resignation on Friday, just hours to the Knut elections held in Nairobi.

He said he would now shift his full attention to legislative duties.

“I have outgrown KNUT. My responsibility now shifts to Parliament,” Sossion said.

For about three years now, there has been back and forth between Knut and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over a number of issues.

Union dues

Key among the issues included removal of Knut members from the official register, in what Sossion termed as attempts to cripple its operations and TSC denying them union dues.

Lack of union dues has also cash strained the 110 Knut branches across the country and was almost impossible to run their activities.

These are some of the issues that Oyuu will be expected to address, as he seeks to mend the ‘broken’ relationship between Knut and TSC, in a bid to have cordial working relationship.

The dispute has seen Knut membership shrink from a high of 187,000 to about 23,000.