Francis Atwoli, Kenya’s COTU Secretary-General, wants employers to honour workers’ rights. Speaking in Nairobi on 18th April 2026, Atwoli pointed to employers who avoided implementing salary increments agreed upon through Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
Addressing a meeting of shop stewards yesterday, Atwoli noted that some employers use delaying tactics and only pay workers their dues when compelled by the courts. He said such employers have no business attending Labour Day celebrations.
Labour Day, celebrated on 1st May annually, is significant in Kenya, and in more than 160 other countries. It is a day not only to celebrate workers’ achievements, but also to promote their rights.
So, when employers delay workers’ payments, and inflation and the general cost of living rise, this undermines the spirit of Labour Day. In this light, Atwoli warned that COTU could bar such employers from attending this year’s Labour Day celebrations, which are set to be held in Vihiga County.
The Art of Negotiation
Francis Atwoli has greatly contributed to the success of the labor movement in Kenya, especially since his inaugural election as COTU Secretary General (SG) in 2001. He has advanced the journey of workers’ welfare that his predecessors started.
COTU Secretary Generals who preceded Atwoli include the first SG, Clement Lubembe, who took office in 1965. Others are Dennis Okumu, Juma Boy, Justus Mulei, and Joseph Mugalla.
Francis Atwoli took office in an era when employees seeking to join a union were viewed as company saboteurs. That has since changed, and from a small number of unionized employees, 300,000, the number has risen to more than 4 million. More than 42 unions represent these employees.
One of the reasons the number of union members has risen is employee empowerment. The SG has made it clear to employees that they have the right to join a union. Conversely, he has enlightened employers so that many no longer view unions as antagonists.
Instead of the historical secret union registrations, COTU leadership is now exchanging views with the Federation of Kenya Employers and the Ministry of Labour. This way, stakeholders have found it easier to understand and mitigate workers’ economic stress.
Atwoli holds some high-level positions within the labor movement on the world stage. He is the Vice-President of the International Labor Conference and Secretary General of the International Trade Union Confederation. At the grassroots level, he is the Secretary General of the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union.