Friday April 12, 2024 - In a surprising turn of events, Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has sold out poor workers.
This is after he emphatically endorsed President William
Ruto’s controversial Affordable Housing Project which will raid workers’
payslips.
Speaking during a media interview, Atwoli disclosed that a
meeting between Ruto and the country’s labour secretary generals had preceded
the project’s rollout.
“We asked him during Labour Day, please come and explain to
us.”
“We went to State House, and he met all the general
secretaries,” Atwoli shared.
Atwoli, often a figure of controversy, put forth a robust
defence of the housing levy pointing to the importance of labour organisations'
involvement in the project's preliminary discussions and the consideration of
their input as essential for the initiative's continuity.
His stance comes as a reassurance to many workers who have
expressed concerns over the new deduction.
“If it reaches somewhere and our representative on the board
says this is what's happening. Can we be able to resist either to look into it
this way or that way, then we will, when we reach there, we'll have to look at
it from that way. There's not everybody who can agree,” Atwoli elucidated,
acknowledging the diversity of opinions that such a significant policy shift is
bound to elicit.
The labour leader also pointed to the eradication of slums as
a pressing reason for the levy.
Drawing parallels with countries like Algeria that have
embarked on similar ventures, Atwoli stressed the need for a master
plan to eliminate slums, with representation on the project board being
crucial.
Ruto is targeting 1.5% of employee’s gross salary and a
similar contribution from employers for his Housing project.
However, Ruto’s Affordable Housing Plan is currently
navigating through legal challenges.
A total of 22 Senators, alongside Senator Okiya Omtatah, have
mounted a challenge against the project's legality.
The
Kenyan DAILY POST
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