Fighting for survival: Atwoli, Cotu officials fight proposal on terms limits
Central Organisation of Trade Unions Secretary-General Francis Atwoli gestures while addressing journalists at the union’s head office in Nairobi on January 24, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Atwoli has opposed a draft Bill seeking to set term limits for union officials.
- Atwoli has been Cotu chief for almost a quarter of a century.
Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has opposed a draft Bill seeking to set term limits for union officials.
Mr Atwoli – who has served in the position for 23 years – termed the Labour Relations (Amendment) Bill, 2024 “ill-conceived and retrogressive”.
He added that such a proposal is against the principles of free and independent trade unions as advocated for by the International Labour Organisation.
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The proposed legislation that is set for introduction in the Senate for first reading is sponsored by Migori Senator Eddy Oketch.
“The principal object of the bill is to provide for the term of office of officials of a trade union, employers’ organisation or federation and requirements for registering a trade union,” the bill states.
“An official of a trade union, employers’ organisation or federation shall hold office for a term beginning on the date on which the official was elected and ending when a person is next elected as an official.”
But Mr Atwoli said trade unions are essential, free and independent organisations representing the interests of workers, with operations guided by their constitutions.
“Cotu wishes to express strong opposition to the Labour Relations (Amendment) Bill 2024,” Mr Atwoli said yesterday.
“It is evident that first-term Senator Eddy Oketch needs to spend more time familiarising himself with the workings of the Senate, particularly with regard to the autonomy and independence of trade unions, rather than talking about issues that are hitherto of no interest to the many Kenyans servicing and sustaining his stay at the Senate.”
Mr Atwoli told Mr Oketch that trade unions, like political parties, operate without term limits for their leaders.
“He forgets that the position he occupies as senator does not have a term limit. As long as an MP continues to represent voters effectively, he can be voted in again and again,” he said.
