Atwoli Retaliates After Backlash Over Uhuru Meeting

President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) with COTU boss Francis Atwoli at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, during Labour Day celebrations on May 1, 2017
President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) with COTU boss Francis Atwoli at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, during Labour Day celebrations on May 1, 2017
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Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Francis Atwoli on Tuesday, July 7 retaliated after backlash over his meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The meeting took place on Wednesday, July 1 with Atwoli accompanying Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa, Governors Wycliffe Oparanya, Wilber Ottichilo, Wycliffe Wangamati, Patrick Khaemba and Sospeter Ojaamong.

Atwoli appeared to hit back at Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula who blasted him for meeting Uhuru and asking for a bus and Ksh. 2 million for Nzoia Sugar Football Club.

Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli at the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology where he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree on December 14, 2018.
Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli at the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology where he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree on December 14, 2018.
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"When we were here in Kajiado the leaders appointed three of us to represent them and to see that the stalled projects in Western Kenya are completed," he noted.

Atwoli went on to add that since independence, this was the first time farmers and sugar factories in Western Kenya had their loans waived totalling to Ksh 62 billion.

The Secretary-General also noted that the President promised to look into maize farmers who have accrued some debts over the years.

According to Oparanya, the meeting was focused around the region's development agenda, revitalising the economy, completing stalled development projects, reviving ailing and collapsed factories among them sugar firms.

After the meeting, Kenya Premier League (KPL) side, Nzoia Sugar FC, were handed a new team bus by Uhuru who also dished out Ksh. 2 million to the company's Chairman Joash Wamang'oli.

Speaking at a gathering on Sunday, July 5, Wetangula slammed governors from the region and Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa who were lobbying the national government to undertake various projects and complete stalled ones.

"I'm sure President Uhuru Kenyatta is getting tired of these cheap characters, he has floods, Corona, debts and locust problems and others are coming to pester him for a bus to give to Nzoia.

"If those are your leaders, let God help us because they have got their priorities absolutely upside down," noted Wetangula.

An image of Moses Wetangula
Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula at a past event.
Citizen Digital