Press Release: President’s Tax Reprieve Offer to Workers
The Central Organisation of Trade Unions, COTU (K) applauds His Excellency the Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta over his directive for tax waiver on payments of overtime, bonuses and retirement benefits for low income workers. Workers have suffered heavy taxation since 1994 and we do appreciate His Excellency’s response to our needs as COTU (K).
COTU (K) welcomes and considers the President’s directive a great offer and reward to the Kenyan workers who will now enjoy a huge reprieve on their monthly as well as terminal benefits from the tax man and it will go a long way in improving their welfare as well as cushioning them from growing harsh economic realities on inflation among others as we did indicate during Labour Day.
During my address on Labour Day at Uhuru Park, I appealed to the government to consider cushioning the minimum wage earners with a wage increment as well as consider reviewing the burden of taxes on the Kenyan workers as a whole and the directive by the President has gone a long way in addressing these concerns raised during our Labour Day Celebrations.
As workers, we are delighted since the move attests to President Kenyatta’s commitment to the betterment of the Kenyan workers who will no doubt reciprocate this rare gesture coming soon after we celebrated our 51st International Labour Day. We appeal to employers to consider COTU (K) as their social partner not an enemy.
COTU (K) and the Kenyan workers now took forward to His Excellency the President being our Chief Guest of Honor during our 52nd International Labour Day Celebrations and the total review of minimum wage next year.
Francis Atwoli,NOM (DZA),EBS,MBS
SECRETARY GENERAL
