Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has lashed out at activist Hanifa Adan, accusing her of lacking the moral authority to comment on leadership matters.
Atwoli’s response comes after Adan published a strongly worded opinion piece questioning the lack of generational change within Kenya’s major institutions, specifically criticising Atwoli’s long tenure as COTU’s leader.
In her article, titled “The Lie We Grew Up With: You’re Tomorrow’s Leaders”, Hanifa described the slogan as a “pacifier” used to delay meaningful youth inclusion.
She cited Atwoli’s 23-year stint at the helm of COTU as a symptom of entrenched leadership and resistance to reform.
“It was never a promise,” Adan wrote. “It was a tool to keep us dreaming while those in power locked the doors to leadership and threw away the key.”
Atwoli Response to Hanifa
In a sharply worded rebuttal posted on social media, Atwoli dismissed Hanifa’s critique, labelling her a “Super-Young-Con-Woman” and accusing her of misappropriating funds intended for victims of the June 25, 2023, protests.
“Hanifa should be the last person lecturing anyone on leadership,” Atwoli said.
“It is publicly known that Hanifa pocketed millions of Kenyan shillings contributed by well-meaning Kenyans who were raising funds to support youth who were injured or killed during the June 25th protests,” he added.
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Atwoli defended his record, stating that over 80% of the COTU secretariat is composed of individuals under the age of 40.
Youths in COTU
He added that youth representatives have seats on the union’s Executive Board, arguing that young people are meaningfully engaged within the organisation, even if they do not hold the top office.
“The issue of youth leadership cannot be reduced to simply holding the position of Secretary General,” Atwoli said.
He concluded by urging Hanifa to “focus on accounting for the public funds that were entrusted to her” rather than using her newspaper column to attack others.
Hanifa has not publicly responded to Atwoli’s allegations.
About Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU)
The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) is the national trade union centre in Kenya, established in 1965.
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It serves as the umbrella body for trade unions across various sectors, representing the collective interests of workers in matters related to labour rights, wages, working conditions, and employment policies.
COTU plays a key role in labour negotiations, social dialogue with the government and employers, and advocating for labour-friendly laws and policies. It is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), giving it a global platform to support Kenyan workers’ rights and welfare.
COTU is led by a Secretary-General and operates through an executive board elected by member unions.
Over the years, it has been a vocal force in both labour and national political issues, often engaging in activism, public protests, and policy lobbying.
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