State, workers' pay tensions cloud function

President William Ruto and Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli during Labour Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Pay your taxes. That was the clarion call that echoed in this year's Labour Day celebrations as the overburdened Kenyan worker was reminded of this civic duty amidst depressing economic conditions.

The message, however, comes when President William Ruto and the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) are not seeing eye to eye over unmet pay demands.