Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has told workers to ignore Tuesday’s planned demonstrations by Azimio la Umoja and report to work.
In his Labour Day address at Uhuru Gardens, Atwoli argued that workers have nothing to gain by taking to the streets. He further warned that COTU will not defend any employee who faces disciplinary action or who is fired for missing to go to work on Tuesday.
“They (opposition leaders) have said tomorrow is protest day, but workers, let us not participate. We are salaried people, you miss work and you are fired and things can get worse. You cannot defend anyone on the basis that they were demonstrating,” said Atwoli.
“There is nothing you can gain… Employers and workers have to support the president so that we can spur economic growth,” added the trade unionist.
Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga has insisted that the planned anti-government protests by the opposition will still take place on Tuesday despite a ban issued by the police today morning.
Raila has insisted that they will be exercising their constitutional right to assemble, demonstrate, and picket and that instead of banning them, the police should just provide security.
“We shall also petition IEBC against the sacking of the four commissioners because it presents a dangerous precedent in which in all future elections, all commissioners will be required to agree with the chairperson of IEBC, effectively making the election a one-person show,” he said.
Additionally, they will also present a petition to the Office of the President “proving that the cost of food, fuel, electricity and fees remain unacceptably high.”
“We will further petition OP to desist from invading and destroying rival political parties as was attempted on Jubilee headquarters and through the auction of MPs in Parliament,” he added.
After that the veteran politician has said that the Azimio brigade will head to the National Treasury. While there, they will demand for the release of funds owed to counties.
“We plan to visit the Public Service Commission on the day to demand that appointments to public offices be done purely on the basis of merit and inclusivity, not tribe as is presently the case. We cannot have a country of close to 50 tribes where appointments go only to members of one tribe,” Odinga’s statement further read.
Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said on Sunday that a decision had been made that no demonstrations will be held in the city.
“We are declining to allow Azimio to conduct demonstrations and there will be no demos in the city of Nairobi,” he said.
“Processions that are not peaceful are prohibited-if they consist of violence or intimidation the demonstrations have to be stopped. Demonstrators must not be armed,” the Nairobi County police boss said.
“The Azimio demonstrations were nothing sort of peaceful as such by this letter we are declining to allow the Azimio team the go-ahead to proceed with the demonstrations and any such demonstration will be dispensed by law enforcement officers,” said Bungei
