Mudavadi is our kingpin: Atwoli changes tune after meeting Ruto
Central Organization of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary general Francis Atwoli (left) when he met President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi.
Francis Atwoli, Central Organization of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary general, has described Principal Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi as the Western region kingpin, two days after he met President William Ruto.
During the meeting with President Ruto on Thursday, the Cotu boss was accompanied by several leaders from western region including Mr Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
The Cotu boss had before the August 9 polls criticised Mr Mudavadi as a ‘weak leader without political clout’.
While Mr Atwoli rallied behind Azimio leader Raila Odinga and campaigned for him in Western region, Mr Mudavadi who was then the Amani National Congress leader and his Ford Kenya counterpart Mr Wetang’ula ditched National Super Alliance (Nasa) for Kenya Kwanza Alliance with President Ruto’s UDA party.
In May 2020, Mr Atwoli led a section of leaders from the Mulembe nation in a meeting at his Kajiado home to replace Mr Mudavadi as the spokesperson for western region, a position Mr Mudavadi was bestowed in December 2016.
Former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya would later get crowned as the region’s kingpin at the Bukhungu II meeting on December 31, 2021.
Mr Atwoli had accused Mr Mudavadi of being a let-down to the Luhya community when he served in key positions in government.
But on Saturday December 03, Mr Atwoli asked residents of western province to unite and work together and rally behind Mr Mudavadi and Mr Wetang’ula.
Before the August Presidential polls, Mr Atwoli supported Mr Odinga and strongly criticised the leadership of Kenya Kwanza.
Mr Atwoli, who spoke in Khwisero during the burial of former Kisa Central MCA Geoffrey Ommatera, said he had decided to work with the Kenya Kwanza administration to create a link between the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to promote the interests of workers.
“It was a must that I visit the State House so that I could create a link between the workers as an international labour leader. Interests of workers in Kenya which are covered under the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention 190 cannot be passed by the government of Kenya without the knowledge of the President and that is why I have to work with the Head of State,” he said.
He said before he went to meet President Ruto, he first consulted with Mr Mudavadi and other Western region leaders.
“I never believed that Ruto would win the election but this boy is smart in thinking, moving, action, calculations and in everything. If he outsmarted us even when we had the government led by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, what will stop him from winning with a landslide in the next polls?” said Mr Atwoli.
