President Uhuru Kenyatta's low profile and silence as fuel prices remain a concern among Kenyans has ruffled labour associations boss Francis Atwoli.
Atwoli on Wednesday threatened to orchestrate a nationwide strike over the increased price of petroleum products courtesy of the imposed 16% VAT.
The COTU Secretary-General stated that it was wrong for President Kenyatta to remain silent amid public outcry over the increased fuel prices.
Atwoli's remarks came at a time Treasury was holding a special stakeholders' seating on Wednesday to deliberate on alternatives that would curb the sharp increase in fuel prices sparking public uproar.
He asked the president to sign the Finance bill 2018 to do away with the levy on petroleum products, not just for two years but forever so as to ensure poor Kenyans are protected.
Atwoli further dwelt on the pay increment pledge whose gazettement had been delayed urging the Cabinet Secretary for Labour Ukur Yattani to Gazette the 5% wage increment that he announced on 2018 Labour Day.
The Ministry, through the Chief Administration Secretary Nelson Ngaruiya, had told the Senate Energy Committee that the Treasury had an obligation to collect Sh35 billion monthly from the introduced fuel tax.
Ngaruiya informed the committee that the new tax on petroleum products was set to help the government seal a budget deficit.
The state is reportedly mulling slashing development budget as an alternative for the fuel tax that treasury estimates indicate will raise inflation by one to two per cent in September.
