Former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion has officially taken up his new role as a member of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), marking a major shift from representing teachers to serving on their employer.
Sossion was sworn in on Thursday alongside Antonina Lentoijoni as TSC commissioners, with both appointed for a six-year term by President William Ruto.
The two appointments followed their approval by the National Assembly after undergoing vetting by the Education Committee in August.
Sossion brings years of experience on the other side of the table, having spent nearly eight years as KNUT secretary-general before resigning in June 2021.
During his tenure, he was involved in several disputes with TSC over teachers’ pay, working conditions, promotions and government policies affecting teachers.
His move to the commission raised questions during his parliamentary vetting over whether his previous role as a trade unionist could affect his ability to serve as a TSC commissioner.
Sossion dismissed the concerns, saying his experience representing teachers would strengthen the commission.
“I wish to assure the country that my appointment to the commission will strengthen the commission because I bring experience of advocacy on policy and all matters that affect teachers,” he told MPs.
He also said trade union leaders have the professional and intellectual capacity to serve at policy-making level.
Sossion is a trained teacher who began his career in the classroom before rising through the ranks of KNUT. He later served as a nominated Member of Parliament and as a Chief Administrative Secretary in the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Lentoijoni, meanwhile, joins the commission with extensive experience inside TSC. She previously served as the commission’s Director of Staffing, overseeing teacher recruitment, deployment, transfers and promotions.
Her appointment comes as TSC continues to grapple with teacher shortages, workload, career progression and welfare concerns.
Lentoijoni told MPs during her vetting that she would support reforms to allow teachers to advance professionally without necessarily leaving classroom teaching for administrative positions. She also proposed expanding mental health support for teachers to the county level.
At the same time, President Ruto’s appointment of Dr Duncan Oburu Ojwang as chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has also taken effect.
Ojwang replaces Justice Ahmed Issack Hassan, who resigned from IPOA in February after being appointed to the Court of Appeal.
The new IPOA chairperson has been appointed for a six-year term and takes charge of the police oversight body at a time when police accountability remains a major public concern.
During his parliamentary vetting, Ojwang pledged to protect IPOA’s independence while maintaining a constructive working relationship with the National Police Service.
The three appointments are part of changes President Ruto has made to key public institutions, with Sossion’s move from the teachers’ union to TSC standing out as one of the most significant transitions.
