A Kenyan delegation to an International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, is under fire after they reportedly deserted the meeting and went on a shopping spree.
In a statement, the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) is demanding that the lawmakers drawn from the National Assembly and the Senate Labour Committee be deducted the huge perks and allowances paid to them for the event.
The union claimed that the legislators had not attended a single meeting of the 106th session of the International Labour Conference that had run for 10 days and expected to end on Friday the 16th of June.
“COTU wishes to raise its concern against a section of both members of the National Assembly and the Senate, who reportedly received money... but did not attend a single session of the ongoing conference and instead have been spotted busy shopping on the streets of Geneva,” COTU boss Francis Atwoli stated.
It added that the legislators were on a spending extravaganza and had shocked Geneva residents with their lavish spending outside the official programme despite being facilitated to attend the programme.
Atwoli lamented that delegates from other countries had attended the conference and are locked in discussions affecting the world’s workers.
He noted that the situation was embarrassing considering that the legislators draw huge salaries and allowances and could run personal errands at their own free time.
The Kenyan delegation was led by Labour Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie, Principal Secretary Khadija Kasachoon, and Commissioner for Labour Sammy Nyambari.
