The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) led by Deputy Secretary General Benson Okwaro has urged the government to increase the minimum wage by at least 50 per cent.
While speaking to the media, Okwaro noted that the government has been taking more money from Kenyans through increased taxes day in and out.
“The government ought to look at how to widen their tax regime. There are so many other areas they can do it, but we find it unacceptable that they have to take this money from the employees,” Okwaro said.
COTU said if President William Ruto honors their plea for increasing salaries, the move will cushion Kenyans from the newly reviewed fuel prices and the increased cost of basic commodities.
“It has reached a stage where we are busy working for the sake of trying to struggle and pay our bills, and that's it."
The current minimum wage in the country is Sh15,200. This is after former President Uhuru Kenyatta had in May 2022 announced an increase of 12 per cent.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority had on Thursday announced the new prices of super petrol and diesel to now retail at over Sh200.
This did not sit well with Kenyans, including COTU boss Francis Atwoli.
The price of petrol has gone up by Sh16.96 per litre while diesel has increased by about Sh21.32 per litre. Kerosene increases by Sh33.13 per litre.
Atwoli declared that it is now important for Kenyan workers to be represented on the EPRA board, as having a representative from Cotu will ensure the concerns of workers are considered in regulatory decisions that affect energy pricing.
"COTU (K) represents the interests of workers across various sectors, including those in the energy industry. Given the significant impact of electricity prices on workers and their households, workers must be represented on the Epra Board," he said.
The Cotu boss said the inclusion must be done by amending Section 12 of the Energy Act, 2019.
"COTU (K) has experts in the energy sector who can contribute valuable expertise to the Epra board. Their knowledge of labour issues and the energy market can enrich discussions and lead to more informed decisions," he said.
