Top union officials renew their habitual battles

By Stephen Makabila  

Kenya: Only two days after Labour Day celebrations, Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli and Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi have renewed their battles.

Atwoli yesterday accused Kambi for allegedly claiming he (Atwoli) marshaled MPs from one community to attend the 49th labour celebrations marked at Uhuru Park on Thursday. “Cotu is shocked at claims attributed to the Cabinet Secretary Kambi Kazungu that as an Organisation we marshalled MPs from a certain tribe to attend the Labour Day Celebrations,” said Atwoli in a Press statement.

Atwoli went on, “Such claims are irresponsible, unfortunate and utterly ridiculous and can only be lest expected from an individual holding a position of a Cabinet Secretary.”

Before the celebrations, there was tension between Atwoli and Kambi over who should organise the fete, with Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) having indicated it was ready to replace Kambi as the chief guest had he opted to keep off the event. Pusetu ended up holding its celebrations on the streets, as Kambi and other Government officials graced the Cotu event.

Atwoli has absolved Cotu from reports and pictures appearing in a section of the local dailies indicating that it had  ‘hired’ some goons in black suits to provide security at Uhuru Park.   But Public Service Trade Unions of Kenya (Pusetu) board member, Wilson Sossion, who doubles up as the Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary-General, said Pusetu was a peaceful organisation and that was why it retreated after being blocked from gaining entry into Uhuru Park.