The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) is crying foul over this week’s transfer of 500 head teachers, which it says affected more than 50 of its officials in the counties.
Also affected are officials of the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) and Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha), and sacco officials.
“The transfers of elected union representatives from their current jurisdiction constitutes an attack on the trade union rights and leadership of teachers’ associations, and investments are equally severely affected,” Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said yesterday during a press conference in Nairobi.
UNION OFFICIALS
Mr Sossion, who was accompanied by acting Chairman Wycliffe Omucheyi, Deputy Secretary-General Hesborne Otieno, and acting national Treasurer James Ndiku, among others, said the move is disruptive and asked the Teachers Service Commission to stop it immediately.
“We have done our tabulation and so far more than 50 union leaders, including branch chairmen, treasurers and women representatives are affected and by the end of the week we will have the full list,” Mr Sossion said.
“Several Kepsha and Kessha officials are also affected, but I know they cannot speak out since they are not trade unions.”
The development means that Knut, Kepsha and Kessha, among other associations will have to elect new officials since those transferred have until today to move to their new stations.
Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion yesterday urged the Teachers Service Commission to halt mass transfer of teachers.
Addressing the media at the Knut headquarters in Nairobi, he said stakeholders were not involved in policy formulation.
He says the move by the TSC to adopt staffing rules without consultation with teachers and their unions is demoralising their members.
“The teaching profession has been ambushed by its own employer. TSC cannot make decisions touching on teachers without involving us,” Sossion said.