Stop fighting workers, Atwoli tells Deputy President William Ruto

From left: Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli, Meru county woman representative Florence Kajuju, Mithika lintuli MP Igembe south and deputy governor Raphael Muriungi in a dance at Auki Day Secondary School during a fundraiser in aid of the school. [PHOTO: PATRICK MUTHURI/STANDARD]

MERU COUNTY: COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has warned Deputy President William Ruto against fighting union workers or he risks political isolation.

He said if Ruto continued fighting workers they will have no alternative but to stop supporting his political bid for any elective post.

He accused the URP wing in the ruling coalition of antagonizing workers against the government making the Jubilee government the first regime worldwide to fight workers who want to invest.

"We knew matters will go from bad to worse when they employed a person with no education or direction as the Labour cabinet secretary. As COTU leaders we have now been pushed to the corner and it is about time we reacted," said the general secretary.

Speaking at Auki day secondary school in Igembe South Sub County during a fundraiser for a library and a multipurpose hall, Atwoli said URP has never supported COTU on anything and urged them to change their altitude or face the repercussions.

He noted that President Kibaki's regime never discriminated against any community that did not vote for him and advised the Jubilee government to tread carefully.

He said the government should always walk in the same direction because taking sides would inevitably bring unnecessary divisions.

He noted that the most challenging part is how to share national funds where inequitable distribution of wealth has led to a lot of divisions.