Francis Atwoli opposes pay only for work done

Workers want the Government not to base pay on productivity.

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary General Francis Atwoli said the Government was getting wrong advice from the employers as there was no mechanism in place to gauge productivity.

"Who is mis-advising the Government on productivity? I have heard you talking about productivity. The Government has no way of measuring productivity and so the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) cannot pretend to know how to," said Mr Atwoli.

Atwoli took a jab at FKE as several top Government officials joined hundreds of Kenyans in braving the chilly weather in Nairobi to mark Labour Day celebrations.

Almost the entire Cabinet attended the 51st Labour Day celebrations organised by Cotu.

This was the first time in the past two years for such a big number of CSs to attend the celebrations.

Adan Mohamed (Industrialisation), Mwangi Kiunjuri (Devolution) Raychelle Omamo (Defence), Phyllis Kandie (Labour), Fred Matiang'i (Education), Jacob Kaimenyi (Lands) and Cleophas Mailu (Health) were among the CSs who attended the fete.

Diplomatic core

The event was marked with splendour and colour at Uhuru Park with issues on corruption, security and wages dominating the day.

It also attracted officials and delegates from across the East African region among them diplomats.

However, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, skipped the event.

Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko arrived fashionably, just as the entertainment kicked off.

Nominated MP Johnston Sakaja was also met with acclaim from the crowd as his supporters escorted him to the venue.

The crowd, however, broke into laughter when Mr Atwoli said FKE and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) were giving wrong advice to the Government by saying the economy was not doing well despite the annual minimum wage increments.

"If we are to be measured on productivity, what are we doing to our own families? Me and her, we have a shortfall. Her family will expel her and my two wives will chase me away. Tell Uhuru FKE and Kepsa are misadvising him on the so-called productivity," he said.

He said corruption was eating into the country's growth, adding that Sh608 billion was lost annually through the vice.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria said Jubilee also wants the IEBC commissioners out but the law should be followed.