Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has hit back at former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s calls for salaried Kenyans to ensure President William Ruto is not reelected in 2027.
Gachagua had urged salaried workers to take a stand against Ruto, citing excessive taxation as the main grievance.
“The biggest task we have is to defeat him (Ruto). Payslip holders are three million, and each of them has influence over at least two people. That’s nine million people who have a personal issue with William Ruto,” Gachagua stated.
The ousted DP also took a swipe at Atwoli, accusing him of remaining silent while praising the same government overtaxing the workers he is supposed to represent.
“Kenyans are struggling more than ever, yet even large worker groups have joined the government’s ‘praise and worship’ teams. I’ve noticed that the workers’ leader has joined the praise and worship team. Workers are being pressured by NSSF matters, and he remains silent. His only job is praise and worship. These are the things we refused to do,” Gachagua remarked.
In his rebuttal, Atwoli dismissed Gachagua’s assertions, arguing that Kenyan politics is influenced more by ethnicity than by policy issues, reducing the role of issue-based campaigns.
“The notion that workers can be easily convinced depends on which workers you’re talking about. Politics in Kenya is not issue-based—ethnicity plays a major role,” Atwoli said.
Atwoli Rejects Gachagua’s Over-Taxation Criticism
Atwoli also refuted claims of over-taxation, asserting that many Kenyans have historically evaded taxes. He argued that the focus should shift to ensuring tax revenue is utilized effectively.
“Those pushing this narrative are doing so out of malice. The real question we need to ask is whether the tax revenue is being used for its intended purposes,” Atwoli said on Tuesday.
“Taxation exists everywhere, but in Kenya, people have long avoided paying taxes. Even the taxes collected in the past often never reached the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA),” he added.
Atwoli further questioned Gachagua’s sudden opposition to taxation, highlighting his role in the previous administration.
“Who started the payslip deductions? Who introduced housing levies? Who increased taxes in this country? It was Ruto and Gachagua. Where was he then, and why is he speaking up now?” Atwoli posed.
The debate underscores the growing tensions ahead of the 2027 elections, with taxation and governance emerging as central themes.
