The Coveted Position Of KNUT Secretary General And Why It Is Revered

Every time the term of a secretary general of Kenya National Union of Teachers expires, there is emergence of brutal boardroom wars, street drama and court battles.

Factions are quickly formed, blame games traded and tons of press conferences called to address the situation.

This is the time that union members go deep into their wardrobes and pull out their union t-shirts and caps which are donned in every press conference.

The press conferences are punctuated with loud nods, claps and the meanest of faces human beings can wear.

Just exactly why is the top leadership of KNUT is so revered? The answer is, just like in the luxurious drug trade, in following the money.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers is the biggest trade union in Kenya boasting a membership that is more than 200000 strong. These members remit a monthly cut to the union.

The union leadership controls an annual budget of more than 12 billion shillings. This eleven figure budget is the major reason for all the wrangles that hit this union every time the term for a leadership team nears it end.

The position of secretary general is especially fought for more fiercely. The secretary general is the spokesperson of the union. He is the one that the government more or less negotiates with in case of a labor dispute.

The secretary general becomes popular and known by virtue of being visible in the face of the media. He could gain clout in the public domain and thus have a bright political future in the event that he decides to jump into the bandwagon. This is the case we have witnessed with Wilson Sossion.

Everybody wants to eat. The union wrangles will never end.