The Central Organisation of Trade Unions has re-elected the incumbent secretary general Francis Atwoli for the fifth term in office.
Atwoli was re-elected unopposed as Cotu's boss on Friday. The vibrant unionist will serve for another five-year term in office.
Through his Twitter account on Friday, Atwoli expressed his gratitude to Kenyan workers for trusting him.
"I promise to service you with all my mighty and strength and not betray the trust you have bestowed in me," he said.
I want to THANK ALL KENYAN WORKERS for RE-ELECTING me UNOPPOSED, through their registered Trade Union Representatives, as the Secretary General of @COTU_K. I promise to service you with all my mighty and strength and not betray the trust you have bestowed in me. pic.twitter.com/PHiCAnO2tD
— Francis Atwoli NOM (DZA), CBS, EBS, MBS. (@AtwoliDza) April 9, 2021
Kenya National Union of Nurses secretary general Seth Panyako had shown interest in the union’s top seat.
Panyako and a host of trade unions accused Atwoli of using unorthodox means to elbow rivals from the race and get a smooth ride back to the office.
The other unions are Kenya National Union of Domestic Workers, Kenya Concrete Ceramic Tiles Interior Design Workers Union, Public Transport Workers Union, Rift Valley Workers Union, and Kenya Union of Secondary Non-Teaching Staff.
Panyako wanted Cotu elections canceled and the same held after May 26 when the term of the current officeholder ends.
Atwoli has served the union since 2001 when he took over from the late Joseph Joy Mugalla.
His current term is supposed to end on May 26. He was last reelected on May 26, 2016, for another five-year term.
On Tuesday, the KNUN boss wrote to Atwoli protesting what he termed his underhand dealings to lock out the nurses’ body from the polls.
Atwoli had in a letter dated April 1 claimed that KNUN is not listed among unions that have completed branch and national elections, thus unqualified to participate in the polls.