Atwoli urges Uhuru to embrace dialogue, warns against suppressing Opposition

COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli: He wants President Uhuru Kenyatta to initiate dialogue with NASA chief Raila Odinga. [Courtesy]

President Uhuru Kenyatta has been told to borrow a leaf from his predecessor Mwai Kibaki on how to handle the opposition.

COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli wants the head of state to initiate dialogue with NASA chief Raila Odinga and his colleagues in the Opposition coalition to unlock current political deadlock in the country.

“Political upheavals are hurting this country, women, children and our workers are already feeling the heat. We lost over 100,000 jobs between August and November last year, that doesn’t augur well for our ailing economy,” says Atwoli.

Speaking during a live talk show on local television station, Atwoli urged the President to fire his current team of advisers and stamp his authority. 

“He is relying too much on opportunists and political brokers for advice, he should engage independent-minded individuals. He is free to call me for advice; we shall tell him what is needed to be done to fix the problems we are going through as a country,” said Atwoli.

According to him, disrespecting courts and arbitrary arrests and sometimes suppressing the freedom to free flow of information has dented the country’s image internationally.

Atwoli said although President Uhuru means good for Kenyans, he is required to exhibit leadership by embracing dialogue with his political competitors.

“Let him walk to Raila’s Karen home on one evening and seek audience with him. That would help unlock the political impasse.”

Atwoli regretted that Kenya’s debt has soared to over Sh4 trillion in the last four years.  Atwoli has urged NASA to push for reforms through parliament.

“They are talking about electoral reforms and justice. We call on them to let parliament do that job; MPs will decide whether or not there should be a referendum,” he said.

Meanwhile, Atwoli has denied that he is out to divide Western leaders as claimed by Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula and Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali.

“A meeting of elders from Western at my home has nothing to do with dividing the region politically, all elected leaders were represented by the Council of Elders present under the chairmanship of Philip Masinde,” he said.

Wetang’ula and Washiali have questioned why elected leaders from the region were not invited to the meeting held last weekend at Atwoli’s Mulwanda home in Khwisero sub-county.

 The elders emerged from a closed door meeting to declare their support for ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi as the region’s kingpin although some of them had denounced Musalia earlier on.

Atwoli said his earlier position that he would never support Mudavadi after the NASA co-principal skipped Raila’s swearing-in as the People’s president was a personal view and not that of the Luhya community.