The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kenya has ruled that payment of Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) dues does not automatically restore former Secretary-General Wilson Sossion's membership in the union. Justice Jacob Gakeri found that Sossion's payment of outstanding union dues, including a Sh72,000 payment, did not revive his membership after he ceased to be eligible for KNUT membership. This ruling relates to Sossion's attempt to contest for the KNUT Secretary-General position during the union's 2026 elections.
Sossion had expressed interest in the KNUT Secretary-General position on February 18, 2026, but his eligibility was contested on the basis that he was no longer a member of the union. He challenged his exclusion in court, arguing that his rights under the Labour Relations Act and the KNUT constitution had been violated. Sossion maintained that he remained a KNUT member and had continued paying his union dues despite leaving the teaching service in 2021.
The dispute is linked to Sossion's earlier legal battle with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over the termination of his teaching employment. In February 2026, the Court of Appeal found that the procedure followed by TSC in terminating his employment did not comply with the law. Sossion had argued that he was a fully paid-up member of KNUT since September 1, 1993, and had continued paying his union dues in full up to and including June 2026.
At the preliminary stage of the KNUT case, the court considered whether Sossion's payment of union dues could revive his membership. Justice Gakeri reiterated that the Sh72,000 payment did not restore his membership. The judge held that Sossion could not claim an absolute right to contest a KNUT elective position while he was not a member of the union.
The court further found that the decision by KNUT to exclude Sossion, as well as provisions of the union's constitution, did not violate or infringe his rights. Justice Gakeri consequently found the petition without merit and dismissed it. The judge ruled that parties shall bear their own costs.
The judgment relates to Sossion's prior attempt to return to KNUT's leadership after his departure as the union's Secretary-General. Sossion has since been appointed a member of the Teachers Service Commission. The ruling has implications for union membership and eligibility for elective positions in Kenya.
The case highlights the importance of understanding union constitutions and labour laws in Kenya. The court's decision emphasizes that payment of union dues does not automatically restore membership. KEY_POINT: The court ruled that payment of KNUT dues does not automatically restore membership. KEY_POINT: Sossion's eligibility to contest the KNUT Secretary-General position was contested due to his non-membership. KEY_POINT: The judgment has implications for union membership and eligibility for elective positions in Kenya.
