Raila fires back at Atwoli over his found alliance with Ruto
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Raila fires back at COTU boss Francis accusing him of abandoning workers and going to 'bed' with Ruto's administration
Raila fires back at COTU boss Francis Atwoli accusing him of abandoning workers and going to ‘bed’ with Ruto’s administration.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga has fired back at his ally come adversary Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli over his newfound alliance with President William Ruto.
Speaking on Monday during a press conference, Raila said Atwoli is “in bed with the government” and that he is no longer performing his duty of defending Kenyan workers’ affairs.
“Workers movement has gone to bed with this regime. Kenyan workers are now on their own,” Raila said.
Atwoli was one of Raila’s key allies who switched loyalty after President Ruto’s 2022 electoral victory.
This was to a surprise of many since the Cotu SG was one of Ruto’s fiercest critics during the campaigns, saying the then-DP “was bad for the country”.
Even so, Atwoli defended his decision to switch allegiance saying he has to work with the government of the day in championing the welfare of workers.
“As a leader sitting on the board of many international labour agencies, I am obliged to brief the President on whatever is discussed and their outcome,” Atwoli said at a past rally in Kakamega.
Atwoli has been criticizing Raila urging him to call off his cause on demonstrations and use the ‘right mechanisms in championing his complaints’.
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Raila called out the COTU boss after he (Atwoli) on Monday, May 8, hit back at public servants and trade unionists who were protesting the three percent house levy included in the 2023 Finance Bill.
In a statement, COTU stated that issues surrounding the levy had already been discussed in a meeting between the president and union leaders.
Atwoli, a vocal trade unionist faulted the individuals protesting the levy for missing the meeting and, therefore, failing to raise their concerns when required.
“It’s rather unfortunate that even after COTU (K) Secretary General invited all union leaders and the President of Kenya to have a social dialogue on various issues including the 3% housing fund levy, those who skipped the Labour Day Celebrations are now complaining about the resolution of the meeting,” COTU stated.
In addition, the notice indicated that the levy was a good initiative by the government to build low-cost homes for Kenyans.
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