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Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has stood firmly in support of ODM leader Raila Odinga.
This comes in the wake of President William Ruto nominating several senior ODM members to key positions in his new cabinet.
Atwoli's comments were made during an address in Kisumu, where he praised the move as a testament to the spirit of multiparty politics in Kenya.
The nominations have stirred controversy among some factions within the political landscape. President Ruto's decision to include ODM members such as Nominated MP John Mbadi, Ugunja MP James Opiyo Wandayi, former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho, and former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has drawn mixed reactions from both supporters and critics.
Atwoli criticized those who have attacked Raila Odinga over the nominations, labeling them as "passengers who do not know what it takes to run a country and have stability."
He emphasized that Raila's long history of fighting for multiparty democracy in Kenya should not be forgotten. "Raila will never betray Kenyans," Atwoli declared, underscoring his belief in Odinga's unwavering commitment to the nation.
Atwoli sees the inclusion of opposition members in the government as a positive step toward enhancing the political stability and unity of the country.
He noted that such moves reflect the true essence of multiparty democracy, where opposition figures can work alongside the government to achieve common goals. This, according to Atwoli, is crucial for the nation's progress and development.
He also took a moment to criticize some members of the Azimio coalition who have expressed displeasure with the nominations.
Atwoli described their remarks as unfortunate and indicative of a lack of understanding about the complexities involved in maintaining national stability.
He stressed that collaboration between different political factions is essential for effective governance.
In his address, Atwoli called on President Ruto to ensure that his Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) are regularly appraised to weed out non-performers.
He suggested that these reviews be conducted every three to six months to maintain a high standard of service delivery.
Atwoli's concern is that some CSs may be more focused on rhetoric than on actual performance, which could hinder the government's ability to meet the needs of the Kenyan people.
"We cannot have CSs who all they know how to do is talk down on Kenyans," Atwoli said. "You must look at them so that we don't see a repeat of what happened with the Gen Zs recently because what they are asking for is service delivery."
In response to the uproar surrounding the nominations, Raila Odinga has distanced himself from the decisions, clarifying that no formal coalition agreement exists between his ODM party and President Ruto's UDA party.
Odinga stated that while discussions were anticipated to outline clear terms of engagement, no formalized agreement has been reached.
"As articulated in our statement on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, neither the ODM party nor Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party has entered into any coalition agreement with President Ruto's UDA party," Odinga said.
"We had anticipated the crafting of clear terms of engagement based on issues we raised in our various communiques." His comments were aimed at dispelling any misconceptions about a formal alliance between the two parties.
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