Erroneous Reporting by the Nation Online Edition

I wish to take great exception to reports carried in the Nation Newspaper Online Edition headlined “Atwoli hints at working with Raila in 2017 Elections” and clarify that during the cited funeral meeting, there was no such mention nor hint nor did I even talk of any political alliance ahead of the 2017 elections.

I dwelt majorly on the issue of Luhya Unity during which I did distance self from the myth that Luhyas are a divided community adding the community is fully United and the perceived division is an external notion hell-bent on causing despondency among the close to 18 sub-tribes that form the Luhya Community and warned that the community as a whole should be wary of these forces whose interest is to see a community fighting within itself.

Besides, it was my insistence that 2017 Elections are still far and those in positions of power should pre-occupy self with service delivery to Kenyans other than spending time hosting political delegations as if the country is going to an election in months since this deprives Kenyans of the much needed services and likely to take the country into an election mood polarizing it along political lines.

It is the wish of every Kenyan including workers to see a United nation ready to move forward and as a person would hate running to any politician including the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga that here is my community bring over yours we unite for the sake of the 2017 General Elections that are still two years away.
However, as the Secretary General of the Central Organization of Trade Unions, COTU -K, our policy of political neutrality still holds since we don’t subscribe to any political outfit in the country but with a collective resolution of our relevant organs, COTU-K will be obliged to team up with any workers’ friendly progressive force in order to offer it every support and win the next elections.

Kenya is bigger than every one of us and we should always and  endeavor to better it as opposed to working towards divisive politics particularly for our leaders especially for some of us with bigger roles nationally, continentally and globally as I do.

Francis Atwoli, EBS, MBS
SECRETARY GENERAL, COTU-K.