Wilson Sossion has defended his suitability for a seat at the Teachers Service Commission while disclosing to MPs that he has built a Sh65 million net worth and carries no outstanding debt.
The former Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary-General made the disclosure on Thursday when he appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education for vetting over his proposed appointment to the TSC.
Sossion told the committee that his wealth is spread across several assets, including homes valued at Sh40 million and land worth Sh15 million.
He also listed savings held in a Sacco and a personal vehicle among his assets.
He said the figure presented to the committee was calculated after taking his liabilities into account and insisted that he currently has no loan running.
“That is what my accountant picked correctly. My net worth excluding liabilities, I do not have any running loan; it is actually at Sh65 million,” he told the committee.
Much of the vetting focused on Sossion’s professional record, leadership experience, financial interests and whether his previous involvement in teachers’ union activities would affect his ability to serve on the commission.
Sossion used his years in the teachers’ movement to make the case for his nomination, saying his experience had exposed him to the day-to-day challenges faced by educators.
He served as KNUT Secretary-General from 2013 to 2021, during which he was closely involved in matters concerning teachers’ pay, promotions, working conditions and negotiations over collective bargaining agreements.
His time at the union also saw him engage with the TSC and the Government on issues affecting teachers’ employment and the implementation of agreements reached with the teaching workforce.
Sossion later entered Parliament as a nominated MP representing workers, adding legislative and public policy experience to his record in labour relations.
He told the committee that his previous role as a teachers’ representative should not automatically be treated as a conflict of interest if he is appointed to the TSC.
Instead, he argued that the experience would give him an advantage because he understands the concerns raised by teachers and the difficulties they face in their work.
According to Sossion, his background could help improve communication between teachers and the commission and ensure that the views of educators are properly considered when decisions affecting their careers are made.
The TSC has a wide mandate in the management of teachers in Kenya. Its responsibilities include registering trained teachers, recruiting and employing them, assigning them to public learning institutions and taking disciplinary action where necessary.
The commission also handles policies and decisions that shape the working environment of teachers serving in public schools.
Sossion is seeking the position at a time when teachers’ pay, promotions, staffing levels, workload and working conditions remain among the issues raised within the education sector.
His record as a former teachers’ union leader is therefore likely to remain an important part of the committee’s assessment as MPs determine whether his previous advocacy role can work alongside the responsibilities of serving at the TSC.
Sossion maintained that his long interaction with teachers, Government institutions and labour matters had equipped him with the knowledge and leadership experience required for the commission.
He said the experience gained over the years would enable him to contribute to the TSC’s work while helping address concerns affecting teachers.