Atwoli threatens revolt over low pay

Central Organization of Trade Union (COTU) Secretary general Francis Atwori addresses the crowd at Uhuru Park, Nairobi on May 1, 2011. PHOTO/TOM MARUKO 

By LUCAS BARASA lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Sunday, May 1 2011 at 22:00

The stage was set for a confrontation as the workers’ umbrella body on Sunday threatened a national strike and protests similar to those that have rocked neighbouring Uganda.

Image Gallery

Related Stories

• Leaders shun workers’ fete
• Hunger-driven drama at workers’ fete
• Living on Sh50 a day, life can only get tougher

Rejecting the government offer of a 12.5 per cent increase in the minimum wage during the Labour Day celebrations at Nyayo Stadium, Central Organisation of Trade Unions secretary-general Francis Atwoli insisted on nothing less than the 60 per cent earlier demanded.

Labour and Human Resources Development Minister John Munyes announced that the 12.5 per cent increase would increase the minimum wage from Sh7,334 to Sh8,250.75 per month.

The minimum wage could have stood at Sh11,737 if Cotu demands were met. Mr Munyes angered the small crowd when he announced the increment.

He said this year’s increase was better than last year’s 10 per cent rise as the economy is not doing well.

He said the country was experiencing a drought, which had forced the government to remove exercise duty on maize, wheat and kerosene.

Rain disrupted the ceremony

“The government has added 12.5 per cent to last year’s increment bringing the total to 22.5 per cent,” Mr Munyes said before abruptly cutting short his speech due to rain, which disrupted the ceremony.

He said that Sunday’s Labour Day was the first since the passage of the Constitution that guarantees the right of workers to social protection.

“It is your right to get food, shelter and jobs. The government has tried, but still there are some difficulties. There’s huge wage gap between a few people who earn big salaries and those who get very low ones,” Mr Munyes said.

Mr Atwoli said it was workers who make the economy grow, and they are ready to die fighting for their rights.

Mr Atwoli led workers in chanting “Besigye! Besigye. Besigye!” in support of Uganda opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who is undergoing treatment at Nairobi Hospital following beatings by Uganda police for leading protests over the rising cost of living. (READ: Besigye says Uganda protests to continue)

Mr Atwoli said Uganda President Yoweri Museveni should have learnt from what happened to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his Tunisian counterpart Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who were forced out of power following demonstrations in their countries over high cost of living.

He also demanded the immediate release of a Kenyan arrested for asking Mr Museveni questions when he visited the country on Saturday.

He said the protests to be led by Cotu would be worse than those seen in other countries. “If the coalition government does not change, it should leave its window open and its leaders wait to see what they will hate,” Mr Atwoli said.

The Cotu boss decried the absence of President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga at the workers’ day fete, saying, they had promised to attend.

Federation of Kenya Employers chairman Cleopa Maillu said workers should join hands with employers during the difficult economic times to develop the economy and create more jobs.

He said problems should be solved in peaceful ways. Mr Maillu said FKE would work with Cotu and government to meet workers’ demands and implement new salaries.

Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa said the minimum wage should be raised to more than Sh20,000.

Former MP Paul Muite said very few Kenyans were employed and that even if the salaries were increased many, have no jobs.

“The President and Prime Minister should have joined the workers and give them direction even if the times are bad,” Mr Muite said.

The celebrations were turned into a forum for participants to stage protests over high costs of living with some heckling, shouting and waving placards demanding reduction of prices of maize flour and fuel.

There was commotion when an NGO official who was once arrested for disrupting a presidential function at Nyayo National Stadium arrived wearing a sack listing problems facing the poor.

Mr Munyes and Kisumu Town East MP Shakeel Shabir were the only MPs present.

Mr Atwoli said the President did well not to attend as people were angry due to rising cost of living and would not have accepted a minimum wage rise of less than 60 percent.

He said Cotu will hold a conference in Kisumu on May 21 to start its protests and another with the National Council of NGOs and other groups “to decide on the leadership of this country.”

“We are calling for full implementation of the Constitution, and if nothing is done by August, the labour movement will take over by force.

“We will come here (Uhuru Park) and make it our Tahrir Square”, a reference to the park in Cairo where daily protests led to President Mubarak’s removal from power.

Mr Atwoli charged that a few Kenyans owned excessive wealth, while a majority languished in poverty.

“For example, 10 per cent of our total population controls 43 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product while together with capital owners, they own 70 per cent of our GDP. Less than 30 per cent goes to workers and others,” Mr Atwoli said.