Former Makueni County governor Kivutha Kibwana, who also served as an advisor to the late President Mwai Kibaki, subtly took a dig at Mr Francis Atwoli, 71, hinting for him to take a long overdue leave from the Central Organization of Trade Unions where he has been the Secretary General for 23 years.
Mr Kibwana shaded Mr Atwoli in his congratulatory message after the Secretary General welcomed a baby boy earlier this week with his 40-year-old second wife, television personality Mary Kilobi. They have been married for seven years. Atwoli Junior will bring the total count of Atwoli’s children to 18.
“I heartily congratulate the Francis Atwoli Ebs family for the new arrival in their family. @COTU_K should give their Secretary General a well deserved Paternity Leave during which they can also discuss: Should COTU and trade union leadership be a lifelong tenure affair?” mused Mr Kibwana in his message.
His double entre message elicited mixed reactions from a section of Kenyans as sampled below:
“Wait, what? I thought you are congratulating him,” laughed Robert Mutai.
“It has never been more hilarious a matter of such immense TRUTH,” added Amos Mang’oka.
“Good provocation Prof, these positions should not be lifelong,” said Erick Keter.
“So many pertinent issues…” pondered Gituma Kenneth.
The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) has been a pivotal institution in representing Kenyan workers’ interests. Since 2001, Francis Atwoli has served as its Secretary-General, a tenure marked by both significant influence and persistent controversies.
Atwoli’s leadership has often been scrutinized due to his extended stay in office. Critics argue that his prolonged tenure stifles democratic processes within the organization and hinders the emergence of new leadership. Concerns have been raised about the transparency and fairness of COTU’s electoral processes, with allegations suggesting that elections are orchestrated to favor incumbents, thereby entrenching Atwoli’s position.
These electoral controversies have fueled calls from various quarters for Atwoli to step down, advocating for leadership renewal to inject fresh perspectives into the organization. Despite this, Atwoli has maintained a firm grip on COTU’s leadership, often dismissing his detractors and attributing their criticisms to external political influences or personal vendettas.
Supporters of Atwoli contend that his extensive experience and established networks have been instrumental in advancing workers’ rights in Kenya. They credit him with negotiating better wages and working conditions, asserting that his leadership has brought tangible benefits to the labor movement. However, this is yet to be seen or felt in many employment sectors in the country.
