NEWSPAPER ATTACKS COTU’S COMPROMISED LEGACY AS RUMORS TELL OF ATWOLI’S IMMINENT OUSTER

Fresh Plot to Remove Long-serving Union Boss Emerges as COTU Marks 60 Years

As the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) marks its 60th anniversary this week, a scathing newspaper analysis has branded the umbrella labor body as a “compromised” institution that has strayed far from its mandate of defending workers’ rights.

Meanwhile, rumors are intensifying about an elaborate plot to remove Secretary-General Francis Atwoli from his position in the upcoming 2026 elections.

According to a report published in the Daily Nation titled “Solidarity sold? 60 years of COTU’s compromised legacy,” the labor organization was deliberately established in 1965 as a political tool to “contain the rise of an independent and militant workers’ front.”

The lengthy analysis argues that founding President Jomo Kenyatta engineered COTU’s formation to ensure “industrial peace” – effectively neutralizing radical unionism that might threaten the state’s power.

“What has followed in the last six decades has been a delicate dance between the COTU leadership and the Executive where workers’ rights have often been sacrificed at the altar of supposed national stability and economic growth,” the newspaper states.

This criticism comes as an image circulating in media circles suggests Atwoli, who has led COTU since 2001, faces a serious challenge to his leadership.

The report claims that “plans to unseat him in the upcoming 2026 elections are said to be in high gear,” with his potential successor allegedly working with members of Atwoli’s inner circle to orchestrate his removal.

The plot reportedly has backing from “powerful State mandarins and disgruntled union members who are eager for new leadership.”

Sources indicate a strategy meeting took place in Naivasha last week where several union leaders met to “finalize plans to push him out.”

Atwoli’s Rebuttal

In a swift response posted on social media, Atwoli dismissed the historical analysis, describing journalist John Kamau as “an exceptional writer and a repository of historical literature” whose “great understanding of history has made him blind to progress.”

“I remain available to appraise John on the developments in the labour movement in Kenya, post 2001,” Atwoli stated, suggesting that the writer’s “perspective remains trapped in the bygone era” and fails to acknowledge COTU’s evolution during his two-decade tenure.

The 74-year-old labor leader recently hinted at his eventual departure while suggesting that “only then will people know his importance in the position” – perhaps acknowledging awareness of the unfolding scheme.

This comes despite COTU’s executive committee previously endorsing him for a sixth term.

The Daily Nation article traces COTU’s history of political entanglement through successive regimes, noting how previous Secretary-Generals like Denis Akumu, Juma Boy, Justus Mulei, and Joseph Mugalla navigated complex relationships with state power.

“Today, at Solidarity House, the echoes of a once-radical workers’ movement have all but faded. Labour Day rallies, once brimming with defiance and purpose, now suffer from poor turnout and lack the revolutionary spirit of the past,” the newspaper concludes.

Atwoli’s tenure has been marked by his ability to maintain relationships across political divides. Most recently, after initially opposing President William Ruto during campaigns, he expressed willingness to work with the administration “to create an enabling environment for Kenyan workers.”

Critics argue this pattern reflects COTU’s historical compromise – prioritizing institutional survival and leadership entrenchment over militant advocacy for workers’ rights.

As the organization celebrates its diamond jubilee, questions about its independence and effectiveness continue to grow louder.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​