COTU Hits Back Hard at Gachagua, Warns Kenyan Workers Won’t Take Remarks Lightly
The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) has come out swinging against former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, rebuking him over his recent attack against the labour movement and its leader, Francis Atwoli.
The union accused Gachagua of what it called “unwarranted and reckless” attacks to undermine the institution, cautioning that Kenyan workers would not take his remarks lightly.
“It is now increasingly evident that Gachagua has embarked on a dangerous Samsonian mission where he seeks to destroy the fabric of the whole country simply because his political future looks bleak,” the union said in a statement.
COTU brushed off Gachagua’s criticism as “publicity-seeking theatrics,” pointing out that the trade union movement carries a rich historical legacy that long predates the former deputy president’s entry into public life.
The workers’ union also threw its weight behind secretary general Atwoli, arguing that his record in championing workers’ rights stands in stark contrast to Gachagua’s political conduct.
“Cotu (K) is older than him and will outlive his divisive and short-lived political theatrics,” the statement added.
The union went on to question the motive behind Gachagua’s remarks, tying them to the recent Labour Day celebrations where President William Ruto announced a 12 percent general wage increase and a 15 percent rise in agricultural minimum wages.
“As Kenyan workers, we have failed to understand whether the genesis of his remarks are merely because President Ruto announced progressive measures aimed at uplifting Kenyan workers or a manifestation of the last stages of grief,” Cotu said.
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The union also took direct aim at Gachagua’s proposal to form an alternative workers’ umbrella organization, dismissing it as misguided and uninformed. In its view, trade unions are institutions built on decades of struggle and solidarity, not vehicles for personal score-settling.
“Trade unions are not political kiosks created overnight to satisfy wounded egos or personal vendettas,” it stated.
Gachagua had come out guns blazing on both President William Ruto and Cotu boss Francis Atwoli on Tuesday, taking direct aim at the administration’s economic record and labour policies at the launch of the Kenya Labour Market and Worker Welfare Report 2026.
He accused Atwoli of abandoning workers in favor of political alignment with the government. “We have a labour union led by a professional broker… he was seen dancing happily with the oppressor, shouting two terms,” he said.
Gachagua also picked apart Atwoli’s political consistency, recounting how the Cotu boss had fiercely opposed the Kenya Kwanza camp during the 2022 campaigns, only to show up at State House shortly after the government took office.
“I cannot understand. He [Atwoli] is just after his own stomach,” he said.
The former deputy president also called for the creation of a new workers’ organization to challenge Cotu’s dominance.
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Cotu, however, stood its ground, insisting the labour movement remains firmly anchored and warning against attempts to drag workers’ issues into politics.
The union said no amount of “bitterness or tribal incitement” would destabilize it. It pointed to a long history of sacrifice among its affiliated union leaders, noting that many, including Atwoli, have faced arrest and persecution in defense of labour interests.
“Many union leaders have sacrificed their freedom, careers, and personal comfort for the welfare of workers,” read the statement signed by general secretaries affiliated with Cotu.
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