NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 24 – A petition has been filed at the Kerugoya High Court seeking to block the re-election of Francis Atwoli as Secretary General of the Central Organization of Trade Unions Kenya.
The case, filed by the Centre for Public Policy and Research, argues that Atwoli’s sixth-term re-election violated constitutional provisions and labour laws governing union elections.
According to the petitioner, COTU-K conducted its elections prematurely, before affiliate unions completed their branch and national polls as required.
“Despite the foregoing, COTU-K prematurely conducted its elections and announced officials on March 14, 2026, well before its affiliate unions had held their elections,” the court filing states.
The petitioner says this contravened directives issued by the Registrar of Trade Unions, which required branch elections to run from January to March 2026, followed by national elections between April and June.
The suit further alleges procedural irregularities, including failure to update membership registers, lack of proper notification of vacancies, and exclusion of agents and observers during the vote.
Atwoli was re-elected during COTU-K’s 15th Quinquennial Delegates Conference held at the Tom Mboya Labour College, extending his tenure to 2031. He has held the position since 2001.
The petitioner is seeking court orders to declare the election unconstitutional and to bar the gazettement of the newly elected officials pending determination of the case.
