Former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua has criticised COTU secretary-general Francis Atwoli accusing him of abandoning Kenyan workers and aligning himself with President William Ruto’s government for personal gain.
Speaking during the National Reflections Post Labour Day event held in Nairobi on Tuesday, May 5, Gachagua claimed Kenyan workers have suffered under harsh economic conditions saying many are overtaxed, underpaid and increasingly demoralised.
Gachagua alleged that Atwoli who has long positioned himself as a defender of workers had instead become compromised and ineffective in championing labour rights.
He revisited Atwoli’s fierce opposition to Ruto during the 2022 General Election recalling how the veteran unionist had actively campaigned against Ruto while backing Raila Odinga’s presidential bid.
According to Gachagua, Atwoli had even publicly suggested that trees in Sugoi, Ruto’s home area, should be cut down so the president would have nowhere to hang himself after losing the election.
The former deputy president said he was stunned when he later encountered Atwoli at State House soon after Ruto assumed office.He further alleged that Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula facilitated Atwoli’s access to State House despite his previous attacks on Ruto.
Gachagua said he questioned Ruto over Atwoli’s unexpected presence and claimed the president responded by dismissing the union boss as someone motivated purely by money.He went on to criticise workers for repeatedly re-electing Atwoli as COTU boss despite what he described as failed leadership.
The former deputy president argued that Atwoli had transformed from a workers’ defender into what he termed a praise singer for Ruto’s administration.
He accused the veteran trade unionist of prioritising political loyalty over the welfare of ordinary Kenyan workers adding that COTU had lost its original purpose under Atwoli’s leadership.
Gachagua proposed the formation of an alternative workers’ union to genuinely represent labourers’ interests, saying Kenyan workers deserved a stronger voice.
“My proposal to Kenyan workers is that it is time we created another alternative organisation to champion workers’ rights. Atwoli has abandoned the workers. He is now the lead praise singer in the Ruto praise and worship team,” he said.
His remarks add to the growing political tensions within Kenya’s labour movement, with Gachagua positioning himself as a vocal critic of both Atwoli and the current administration.