COTU Reacts After Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa Asked Francis Atwoli to Retire

Kikuyu Member of Parliament (MP) Kimani Ichung'wa was fiercely criticised following his call for Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli to step down.

COTU deputy secretary general Benson Okwaro scoffed at the MP accusing him of ignorance over the unwelcomed statement.

"The sentiments clearly display Ichungwa’s ineptness, ignorance and inability to un-package what entails to be a local and International Worker’s representative," his statement read in part.

He added that the legislator's sentiments were "unfortunate and irresponsible".

[caption caption="File image of Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung'wa speaking to the press"][/caption]

The Kikuyu parliamentarian allegedly raised concerns that Mr Atwoli had overstayed at the trade unions organisation during the burial of former Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim.

Atwoli recently claimed that his life was in danger following his suggestion that a Prime Minister's position should be created for President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022.

He organised a press conference to relay that four hitmen had been hired to take his life since he made the statement.

"There is a threat from a clique of few individuals or a group of people either in leadership or politicians who are organising to hire four men to eliminate me within a week.

"I have already recorded a statement with the police and I thank them for their commitment to protecting me. My statements have not gone with some politicians whom I have been informed met somewhere and agreed to hire the hit men to eliminate me," he stated.

Fellow trade unionists, led by Kenya Plantations and Agriculture Workers Union (KPAWU) assistant secretary-general Meshack Khisa, on Sunday asked IG Joseph Boinnet to bump up Atwoli's security following the threat on his life.

"It is clear that someone somewhere feels threatened by Mr Atwoli’s recent calls to amend the Constitution and adopt the Bomas Draft model and it is highly likely this is the person behind the plans to eliminate him.

"The IG must improve brother Atwoli’s security, or else we will ask workers to come out and provide security for him," Khisa stated.

[caption caption="COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli"][/caption]