Wilson Sossion today, June 25, stepped down from his role as secretary general of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).
Sossion has served the union since 2013. He is credited with his firm and persistent fight for the rights of teachers in the country.
Whownskenya.com takes a dive into interesting facts about the former secretary general.
Origin
He was born in 1969 to Domoita from the Tulin Clan of West Pokot County.
Sossion’s family relocated from Tarta to Bomet in a early 1970s.
Alumnus
The former KNUT secretary general graduated from Egerton University with a Bachelor of Education Degree.
First Job
Sossion began his teaching career in 1993 at his alma mater, Tenwek High School, Bomet County.
He was a dedicated teacher, and at the time he bore no aspirations of joining the union. He was always in school.
Campaigning on donated bicycle
Despite not showing interest in the politics of the union, fellow teachers pushed him to join KNUT at branch level.
In 2000, Sossion used a donated bicycle to campaign through the entire region. He was later given a motorcycle by teachers, but lost narrowly in the elections.
In 2001, teachers urged him to contest again, assuring him of their votes. Sossion won with a landslide. Two months later he was selected to the national executive council.
Sossion became the second vice national chairman of KNUT following the retirement of Joseph Chirchir.
He rose to the rank of national chairman and in 2013, was requested by members to serve as secretary general.
Marriage and family
Sossion is a father of three.
His first-born daughter Rosemary Chepkorir graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi.
He lost his first wife to an accident in 2010. He later remarried on April 28, 2016, in a private ceremony at the Attorney General’s office. Sossion tied the knot with Vivianne Kenduiywa.
Entrepreneur Brother
Sossion is the brother to Simon Sossion, managing director of Spotlight Publishers (EA) Ltd.
Simon, an alumni of Kenyatta University, has often distanced his success in the publishing industry from Wilson’s role at KNUT.
Spotlight Publishers is one of the largest in Kenya and the East Africa region.
Simon built the company with Ksh50,000 and it is now worth multi millions. It boasts some of the most reputable authors in the region.
They include; Said Ahmed Mohammed- Utengano, and Wallah Bin Wallah- Kiswahili Mufti. The late Ken Walibora author of Kidagaa Kimemwozea was also attached to the publisher.
Nominated MP
Sossion was nominated to the National Assembly by the ODM Party in 2017. He had intended to contest the gubernatorial seat in Boment County but did not make good on it.
His nomination to parliament elecited mixed reactions from a section of unionists, who accussed him of greed for holding two jobs.
KNUT Salary
Sossion earned Ksh300,000 per month as KNUT secretary general. An official in that capacity is entitled to a full medical cover for 10 years and a car worth kes13 million.
Nominated MP Salary
Sossion pockets Ksh710,000 per month as a nominated MP. This is besides the many perks that come with being a Member of Parliament.
Cumulatively he makes about Ksh2 million per month on salary.
Timing of resignation
Since the start of 2020, Sossion had somewhat of a rocky reign at the union. It was marred with allegations of plotted ousters and neglect of teachers rights.
About a month ago, Sossion accused the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and KUPPET of colluding with KNUT members to rig him out.
Sossio resigned as secretary general a day to KNUT elections.
