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COTU threatens workers’ strike over Kambi order

Atwoli says the strike will be called off if the courts do not issue an order requiring Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi to reinstate him and FKE boss Jacqueline Mugo to the board/FILE

Atwoli says the strike will be called off if the courts do not issue an order requiring Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi to reinstate him and FKE boss Jacqueline Mugo to the board/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 20 – The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) has given a strike notice for August 4, if the organisation’s Secretary General Francis Atwoli is not be reinstated to the National Social Security Fund board of trustees.

Atwoli says the strike will be called off if the courts do not issue an order requiring Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi to reinstate him and Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) CEO Jacqueline Mugo to the board.

“We have one answer… if Kambi does not keep off from interfering with NSSF and revoke the gazette notice removing us from the board, there will be a strike on August 4,” Atwoli vowed.

He was speaking on Sunday during a meeting that brought together close to 40 union leaders under COTU to deliberate the way forward following Kambi’s sudden action on Friday.

“Tomorrow, some of our leaders here are going to court to seek revocation of Kambi’s gazettement and if they get a court order, we will inform you what will happen next on August 2,” he added.

The COTU boss claims they were removed from the board because they were against corruption activities adding that that the NSSF has lost close to Sh1.7billion since January this year.

“All my problems are because of Tassia project, nothing else. Ask the audit people to go there and they will prove my words. I have all the papers.”

The Labour CS retired Mugo and Atwoli accusing them of overstaying at the board for 11 and 15 years respectively.

Atwoli however says the Cabinet Secretary went against the Constitution saying that he has no authority to replace him from the board.

“One thing I want to ask all of you, wake up every morning between 4 and 5am to pray for me and ask God… God help Atwoli who is a helpless man who doesn’t have even a gun to defend himself and he has been taken away from protecting our monthly contributions.”

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According to Section 8 (1) of the Act, a member of the board shall hold office for a term of three years and shall be eligible for re-appointment for one further and final term.

The FKE boss who spoke on Saturday also termed Kambi’s move as illegal adding that they have only served for six months according to the new NSSF Act, which came into effect January 10 this year.

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