The Kenya national union of teachers, KNUT head office has been closed indefinitely after auctioneers raided it and carted away all office equipment and furniture worth over 1.4 million shillings owed to a former employee.
According to KNUT communications director Peter Amunga, the auctioneers were on the premises and took some of the office equipment including furniture.
He added that KNUT secretaries in different parts of the country had not been paid for two years and some were seeking help from the courts
KNUT deputy secretary-general Hesbon Otieno stated that the union owed a total of 1.4 million shillings to various entities
“I arrived and found them taking office furniture and a lot of other equipment. I pleaded with them so that we talk but they declined,” said Otieno.
“None of us was aware of these debts. You can clearly see that some leaders were engaged in some underhand dealings and with time we shall get to know what else is wrong, so we fix it” He added
Otieno said that he pleaded to talk to them, but they declined. You can clearly see that some leaders were engaged in some underhand dealings and with time we shall get to know what else is wrong, so we fix it.
The incident happened just seven days after the new leadership was elected to the office, with reports indicating that it is increasingly becoming difficult for KNUT to meet its financial obligations due to reduced monthly union dues.
During an emotional press briefing on June 25, 2021, Sossion stated that he would support teachers even after his exit from the union.
KNUT former Secretary General Wilson Sossion blamed the government for the union’s troubles. Sossion blamed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for the woes haunting the union, claiming that the government was determined to permanently cripple KNUT.
With only 15,000 members, reports indicate, KNUT’s monthly dues have shrunk to 12 million shillings from the over 144 million shillings it used to receive at the height of its optimum operations about three years ago.