Also known as: COTU SG Francis Atwoli · COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli · COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli · COTU boss · Secretary General Francis Atwoli · Dr. Francis Atwoli · COTU boss Atwoli · Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli · Dr Francis Atwoli · Mr Francis Atwoli
COTU Secretary-General who has publicly endorsed President Ruto's leadership while weighing in on opposition politics and workers' rights.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Capital News
… COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli said over the weekend that unions are pushing for the pay rise to cushion workers against the rising fuel prices, the cost of transport, food and other basic goods. …
Gachagua : Workers Have Nothing to Celebrate This Labour DayCapital News
… COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli said over the weekend that unions are pushing for the pay rise to cushion workers against the rising fuel prices, the cost of transport, food and other basic goods. …
Ruto to lead Labour Day celebrations in VihigaThe Standard
President Ruto and COTU SG Francis Atwoli during Labour Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens. …
Behind the celebrations, workers juggle debt, bills and survival dailyThe Standard
… Leaders already present in the chilly, drizzling morning include Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, Cooperative CS Wycliffe Oparanya, COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli, Governors Ken Lusaka (Bungoma), Wilber Ottichilo (Vihiga), and Kakamega's Fernandes Barasa. …
Vihiga lights up to Labour Day celebrationsThe Standard
… During the celebrations, COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli hailed the hosting of the 2026 Labour Day celebrations in Vihiga County as a historic moment, noting that it was the first time the national event had been held outside Nairobi since independence.Speaking at Chavakali …
Workers dance to 'Vaida' hit as Vihiga hosts Labour Day feteThe Standard
Audio By VocalizeCentral Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to take firm action against what he termed premature political rallies, warning that workers will bear the greate …
Atwoli urges IEBC to curb premature rallies, warns workers will suffer unrestThe Standard
… COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli, earlier in his remarks pleaded with the presdent to honour his pledges made last year, and see to the ratification of the ILO Conventions 189 and 190.“Mr President, I urge you to ensure the ratification of these two key convention already ra …
Ruto announces 12 per cent pay rise for Kenyan workersCapital News
… COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli said arrangements are in top gear ahead of the national event scheduled to take place in Vihiga. …
Atwoli says all is set for Labour Day fete in VihigaThe Standard
Audio By VocalizeCOTU SG Francis Atwoli addresses workers, Nairobi. [Benard Orwongo, Standard] Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has called for urgent reforms in service delivery and urban planning in Nairobi City County, as the capital …
Atwoli faults Sakaja over running of Nairobi, calls for accountabilityCOTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has called for constitutional amendments to return management of health and land from county governments to the national government, arguing that devolution has exposed these sectors to persistent management challenges and that many counties lack the financial and administrative capacity to effectively manage them.
8 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has called for constitutional amendments to return management of health and land from county governments to the national government, arguing that devolution has exposed these sectors to persistent management challenges and that many counties lack the financial and administrative capacity to effectively manage them.
8 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A Western Kenya leaders' caucus convened by Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has demanded the Deputy President position in President William Ruto's post-2027 administration while backing his re-election, signalling a clash with Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi's camp.
7 September 2026 · Capital News →
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said he would run as Edwin Sifuna's running mate if the Nairobi senator has the strongest numbers to beat President Ruto in 2027, and suggested opposition leaders should prioritise electoral mathematics over personal ambitions when forming their ticket.
6 September 2026 · Capital News →
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has backed Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's presidential ambitions for 2027, saying age should not prevent young leaders from seeking the top seat and describing Sifuna as one of the serious contenders. Gachagua said he has no problem either deputising Sifuna or Sifuna deputising him, and pushed back against COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli's suggestion that the 44-year-old Sifuna is too young to run.
6 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said he would be willing to become Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna's running mate in 2027 if political calculations show Sifuna is the opposition candidate most capable of defeating President William Ruto. Gachagua argued the opposition should prioritize defeating Ruto by selecting the candidate with strongest nationwide support, regardless of seniority or personal ambition.
6 September 2026 · The Standard →
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli told Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna that his time to seek the presidency has not yet arrived, saying he is not adequately prepared for a national campaign and should focus on building his political team first.
5 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU)-Kenya has called for "respect" to workers' rights, stating there is a need for industrial peace founded on respect for workers' rights, effective social dialogue, and full implementation and negotiation of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs).
2 September 2026 · The Standard →
COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli says the country has no serious opposition without the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and called on opposition leaders to accept that Raila was the force holding the opposition together. Atwoli endorsed President William Ruto's leadership and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
30 August 2026 · Capital News →
Albert Njeru Obed, Treasurer General of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU-K) and Secretary General of KUDHEIHA, has died following a short illness. COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli described Njeru as a dedicated trade unionist committed to workers' welfare and dignity.
30 August 2026 · Capital News →
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to launch a crackdown on political goons used by politicians to disrupt rallies and instil fear, telling him to deploy the same energy used to tackle banditry in the North Rift. Kindiki also told Murkomen not to spare government-allied leaders who hire goons to intimidate rivals.
30 August 2026 · The Standard →
Albert Njeru, Treasurer General of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions and Secretary General of KUDHEIHA, died on Saturday, August 29, after a short illness. He had served as KUDHEIHA Secretary General for 19 years and as COTU Treasurer for five months.
29 August 2026 · The Standard →
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has cautioned former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over unsubstantiated claims regarding the IEBC's procurement of the Integrated Elections Management System, saying such attacks risk destabilising the country ahead of the 2027 General Election.
27 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Central Organization of Trade Unions has cautioned former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua against compromising the IEBC's independence, after he alleged the commission's tender for an election management system had been predetermined in favour of a South Korean firm and called for retention of Smartmatic as the provider. COTU-K Secretary General Francis Atwoli said Gachagua's claims, made without evidence, risk destabilizing the country ahead of 2027 and risk laying the foundation for rejecting the election outcome in advance.
27 August 2026 · The Standard →
COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta of trying to divide the Western region by backing Linda Mwananchi leader Edwin Sifuna for president in 2027, comparing it to Uhuru's failed effort to make Raila Odinga president in 2022. Atwoli urged the Mulembe community to remain united and vigilant against manipulation.
25 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Senator Edwin Sifuna's 2027 presidential ambition has unsettled Luhya's established political order, challenging the old guard's preference to defer the community's presidential hopes to 2032. His message that Luhyas should seek the presidency now rather than negotiate for later is resonating with younger voters impatient with elite-driven politics.
25 August 2026 · The Standard →
Newly elected Dock Workers Union general secretary Abubakar Abdillahi and his team took office this week and said initial investigation found Sh82 million irregularly withdrawn from one of three union accounts. The matter has been reported to police, and the team has commissioned a comprehensive audit to recover missing funds.
22 August 2026 · The Standard →
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua accused President Ruto's administration of using state agencies to intimidate Kenyans and mismanaging the Social Health Authority, claiming the KRA targets businesses with tax demands and that delegations visiting Kenya complained about SHA's performance.
19 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Unionisable employees at agribusiness firm Kakuzi Plc will receive a 15% wage increase over the 2026/27 Collective Bargaining Agreement period following union negotiations, with more than 3,500 workers receiving 8% in 2026 and 7% in 2027.
18 August 2026 · Capital News →
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula, once President Ruto's most valued allies in the 2022 election, have seen their political standing erode in Western Kenya; recent opinion polls show three of the country's worst-performing governors are from Bungoma, Busia, and Kakamega counties, undermining Kenya Kwanza's authority in the region.
11 August 2026 · The Standard →
COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has warned that security officers and government officials risk being fired for leaking confidential government information to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing Gachagua of misusing such intelligence.
10 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Standard reports that Edwin Sifuna's rise is reshaping politics in Western Kenya, disrupting the region's long-established power structures dominated for over three decades by figures including Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetang'ula, and Wycliffe Oparanya.
27 July 2026 · The Standard →
Western Kenya's political landscape, long dominated by figures like Mudavadi, Wetang'ula, and Oparanya, is experiencing unprecedented disruption from a rising political force, described as capable of shaking established centres of power simultaneously.
27 July 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that the Ol Kalou by-election has punctured the UDA's narrative after the party had framed it as a referendum on President William Ruto's broad-based government and a confidence vote in the ruling coalition's political machinery. The editorial warns that the ruling party risks mistaking podium praise for polling data, and cautions against dismissing the result as merely a by-election without broader implications.
27 July 2026 · The Standard →
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna received contributions from Kiminini residents in Trans-Nzoia during a stopover for the Linda Mwananchi caravan, gathering both notes and coins from the crowd to fund travel to Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kitale.
26 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Opposition leaders led by Edwin Sifuna, George Natembeya, James Orengo, Babu Owino, Godfrey Osotsi and Boni Khalwale campaigned in Trans Nzoia County, dismissing disunity claims and declaring their movement capable of denying President Ruto a second term in 2027.
26 July 2026 · Capital News →
Linda Mwananchi movement leaders, including Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, campaigned in Trans Nzoia County, declaring that the Western region's political leadership will unseat President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election and arguing that decades of failed regional leadership necessitate new direction for the Luhya community.
25 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Central Organisation of Trade Unions has opposed a reported KCAA plan to deploy National Youth Service personnel in airport security roles, warning it would replace permanent workers with insecure labour. The Kenya Aviation Workers Union is meanwhile pursuing a seven-day strike notice, citing grievances including that KCAA employees have gone more than 11 years without a new Collective Bargaining Agreement or salary review.
24 July 2026 · The Standard →
Charles Owino, a former police spokesman, has been appointed Government Spokesperson as part of President Ruto's presidential nominations and redeployments within the Executive. Former Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura was reassigned to head the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Disability Rights.
21 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has publicly rejected COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli's offer to fundraise Ksh.1 billion for his political campaign, saying he prefers small contributions from millions of Kenyans to avoid creating opportunities for corruption.
21 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has publicly rejected COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli's offer to raise Sh1 billion for his campaign, saying he prefers a campaign financed by ordinary Kenyans rather than relying on wealthy benefactors. Sifuna said he would encourage supporters to make small donations through his Paybill account instead.
21 July 2026 · Capital News →