Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has strongly defended his re-election for a 6th term following a petition filed in court.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, March 18, Atwoli dismissed the petition as baseless and politically motivated, questioning the credibility and standing of the person behind the case.
“It is important to note that the busybody behind the petition is neither a member of any affiliate union of COTU (K), nor an official of any trade union, nor a participant in the electoral process,” Atwoli said.
COTU Maintains Election Was Lawful
Atwoli insisted that the March 14 elections were conducted strictly in line with the union’s constitution, highlighting strong participation from member unions.
According to him, the exercise recorded a 92% quorum of eligible delegates-well above the constitutional threshold of 51%-demonstrating overwhelming support for the process.
“The COTU elections themselves were conducted with union’s overwhelming participation from affiliated unions,” he said, noting that more than 90% of affiliates had completed their internal elections prior to the national vote.
Petition Filed at Labour Court
The defence comes just hours after a petition was filed at the Employment and Labour Relations Court, challenging Atwoli’s continued stay at the helm of the labour movement.
Petitioners argue that the election violated the legally prescribed union electoral cycle and excluded certain labour unions, rendering the outcome invalid.
Atwoli countered that the unions cited in the petition were not fully compliant members and therefore lacked voting rights. He said that while they attended the elections, they did so only as observers.
Allegations and Political Undertones
In a further twist, COTU’s statement referenced ongoing investigations by anti-corruption authorities, alleging that the petitioner had previously been linked to a case involving fake academic credentials.
While the matter is now before the courts, the union warned against attempts to destabilise its leadership, particularly as the country edges closer to the 2027 General Election.
COTU maintained that its leadership remains legitimate and duly elected, urging stakeholders to respect the rule of law as the court process unfolds.
