Collins OYuu is the new elected secretary-general of KNUT.

Mr Collins Oyuu is the new General Secretary of the Kenya Teachers Union (Knut). Mr Oyuu was elected unopposed in the union’s national election at Ruaraka Sports Club in Nairobi on Saturday.

Mr. Oyuu becomes Knut’s seventh secretary general. He will succeed Mr Wilson Sossion who resigned from the coalition leadership and withdrew his candidacy on Friday.

Prior to his election, Mr Oyuu was acting national president of the union.

“It is a day when teachers have been waiting for a complete change in the leadership of this great union, especially at the top and I mean especially in the post of secretary general,” Oyuu told reporters.

He said the delegates were happy that their expectations had been met.

Saturday’s election saw a total of 1,878 delegates from eight regions of the country cast their ballots. Mr Oyuu said he was saddened that more than 200,000 union members had been reduced to 15,000.

He revealed that Knut currently receives 12 million shillings a month in fees, compared to 141 million shillings.

“Financially the union is paralyzed, most of our branches are closed and the branch secretaries in 110 offices have not been paid for almost two years,” he said.

Hesbon Otieno held his post of Deputy Secretary-General in Saturday’s election. Mr Otieno was also elected unopposed.

Others who were elected unopposed were Mr. Patrick Kariga (National President) and Mr. James Ndiku as National Treasurer. Mr Hussein Ali Abdi, was also elected unopposed as deputy national treasurer. The position of first vice president was won by Mr Stanley Mutai who defeated Mr Dan Aloo.

Mr Oyuu promised to work with the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) and the government.

“The union is not at war with the government and the Teachers’ Service Commission,” Oyuu said.

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