PRESS RELEASE: COTU (K) SUPPORTS PRESIDENT STERN WARNING ON CORRUPTION
The Central Organization of Trade Unions, COTU (K) fully supports and will rally behind President Uhuru Kenyatta in his war against corrupt individuals in his government particularly in the wake of his stern warning yesterday that no one would be spared in this war and the consequences to those found guilty will be very painful.
As the umbrella workers body in the country, COTU (K) will continue to play its rightful role by championing for better terms and conditions pf work for its members in a just society but these efforts have largely been hampered by the rampant corruptionbeing perpetuated by the very individuals holding public offices and COTU (K) is convinced that by unearthing and condemning corrupt public officers both within and outside government,this will guarantee not only workers but Kenyans a just and fair country where government will have every opportunity to deliver to all its citizens.
Equally listening to the President addressing the United Nation’s Global Compact’s 17th Anti-Corruption Working Group meeting and the International Anti-Corruption Conference yesterday while here in London, United Kingdom, where I am attending a Worker’s Global Symposium, I am convinced that the President has been pushed too far since his earlier cautions against corrupt individuals in his government since taking over in 2013 remains largely disregarded and now with the latest stern warning that the consequences will be painful and won’t spare nor target anyone is a clear audit of how serious the President is determined to rid his government of graft and it is importantthat all workers and members of public support the President in all ways possible since a win on this war will mark a huge turn-around for Kenyaand provide us with the much needed opportunity to compete other economies globally.
At the same time, our institutions charged with the responsibility of fighting corruption should do all at their disposal in living up to the President’s directive while exercising impartiality and those found culpable should not consider self to be victims of witch-hunt but ratherallow our independent courts set them free
Kenya as a country continues to lag behind due to the vice and as earlier warned by COTU (K), if this trend is not checked sooner and arrested, we risk falling apart on graft as this will be more painful than even the envisaged consequences on corrupt individuals. Kenya is bigger than each and every one of us and let all stand by the President in this war irrespective of our political persuasions.
Francis Atwoli, EBS, MBS
SECRETARY GENERAL
