Relief as Labour Day fete ends without showdown between rival unions

By STANDARD TEAM

Nairobi, Kenya: The much-anticipated clash between Public Servants Trade Unions (Pusetu) and Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) during the 49th Labour Day celebrations failed to materialise, after security officers blocked Pusetu from accessing Uhuru Park.

Police cordoned off the park ready to implement a court order that barred Pusetu from attending the fete organised Cotu. Cotu moved to court on Tuesday and obtained an injunction to go ahead with the organisation, planning and moderation of  the fete without involving Pusetu and consequently restrained Pusetu from attending the celebrations.

On Wednesday, Pusetu officials vowed to storm the celebrations saying the union was the most representative. To avoid this, security was beefed up in and around the park.

Thursday, Pusetu dismissed claims that the union is a Government project, saying rival Cotu is the one with State backing.

“We shall never be a Government project. If so, we would have not been issued with a court injunction blocking us,” said Pusetu officials.

Pusetu Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya and executive board members, including Kenya Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Wilson Sossion, led members in peaceful demonstrations in thr streets of Nairobi, using vehicles majority of which belong to various Knut branches.

They accused Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli of cowardice and challenged him to resign and allow Pusetu to take up slots in the Government corporations such as NHIF, NSSF and Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

Chanting slogans and clad in Pusetu branded t-shirts and caps, the members held parallel celebrations outside their headquarters at Knut building Mfangano Street.

Mukhwaya said workers have suffered enough under Cotu and they are now ready to be represented by a more “digital” labour union.

Pusetu opposed a proposal by the Government to retrench workers to tame the spiraling wage bill, saying the former should instead deal with corruption.

“Real” representatives

Meanwhile, many of those in attendance  graced the occasion for various reasons.

“I came to see how things would turn out. I have been following the war of words between Cotu and Pusetu with interest for the past several weeks,” said Stephen Musyoka from Makongeni estate, Nairobi.

He added: “ I didn’t expect any violence but I just wanted to see if there would be any scuffles.”

For Nelson Omolo, an unemployed teenager from Nairobi’s Eastlands, his presence at the celebration was to send a “strong signal” to Pusetu leaders and members that “Atwoli also has supporters”.

 “I usually don’t come to Uhuru Park during Labour Day celebrations, but today I decided to show up to show those opposed to Atwoli that he has numbers behind him. I have faith in Atwoli since he understands the suffering of ordinary people,” he said.

Susan Wangeshi, a house help in Eastleigh, followed the day’s events on TV just to see if there would be any drama from the much-anticipated clash between the rival trade union.

Reporting by James Mbaka,  Rawlings Otieno and Ally Jamah