COTU sec General Atwoli under siege as Unions reject tax bill

COTU sec General Atwoli under siege as Unions reject tax bill.

COTU sec General Atwoli, may be in crisis, as unions have expressed their reluctancy to supporting president Ruto’s finance bill 2023.

Last month, Cotu boss reprimanded the trade unions and civil servants for ganging up against the bill, saying that he had invited them for a “social dialogue on various issues including the 3 per cent housing levy [but they] skipped [..] and are now complaining.”

Some of the unions that have expressed their reservations on the finance bill 2023 include; include Kenya National Union of Teachers, Kenya University Staff Union, University Academic Staff Union, Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union, Kenya National Union of Nurses, Kenya Union of Clinical Officers and the Kenya Union of Journalists.

UASU Secretary general, Constatine stated,” If this bill [Finance Bill], in the unlikely event it goes through, the strike will be on the next day, and we want the public sector unions to be on the lookout and let the strike be spontaneous. If we are on strike for one month, Zakayo atashuka na akikataa kushuka, tutang’oa miti. We will not betray you on this issue by going to State House.”

However, According to Atwoli, who was during the elections, the greateat die hard of Azimio la umoja, The bill is what Kenyans need because it is not a tax , as president Ruto had put it early.

Atwoli stated,”The President explained clearly that this is not a tax… It is an opportunity for an employee to get money from the employer. This is your money, your savings. You will contribute 3% or a maximum of Sh2,500, matched with the employer’s 3% (Sh2,500), making it 6% (Sh5,000),”

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