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Francis Atwoli

COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has broken his silence moments after the Supreme Court of Kenya upheld President elect William Ruto’s Win.

The Chief Justice Martha Koome-led court on Monday afternoon ruled that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had conducted a free, fair and verifiable election.

Atwoli has been heard confidently saying that Ruto will not become the president of the republic of Kenya.

The COTU boss has maintained his remarks during the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition campaigns, and before that, he had even been heard saying that Ruto will not be on the ballot.

However, after the Supreme Court verdict, Atwoli took to his official social media handles and congratulated President elect Ruto.

Atwoli noted that COTU had unanimously agreed during their executive board meeting that they would thank and Congratulate the victor.

He went ahead to appeal to the workers and Kenyans at large to remain peaceful after the Supreme Court verdict.

“During COTU (K) Executive Board meeting on 17th August, we resolved THAT immediately after the Supreme Court judgement, we must thank and congratulate the victor. Consequently, we congratulate President William Ruto. We appeal to workers and Kenyans in general to remain peaceful,” Atwoli tweeted.

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Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa has slammed COTU boss Francis Atwoli over his planned Luhya meeting at the Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega.

Taking to his official Twitter account this morning, the Deputy President William Ruto’s ally urged the Luhya community to ignore the meeting that is scheduled for December 31, 2021.

According to Didmus, Atwoli is more dangerous to the unity of the Mulembe nation, than the most dreaded Covid-19 pandemic.

The lawmaker went ahead to refer to Atwoli as the chief political broker whose days are numbered.

“I beseech the Luhya nation to ignore the fake Luhya meeting being convened by Mzee @AtwoliDza at Bukhungu Stadium on the 31st. The COTU SG is more dangerous than Covid 19 to the unity of the Mulembe Nation. He is the CHIEF political broker whose days are numbered!” tweeted the Tanga tanga lawmaker.

Didmus Barasa’s rant comes just a day after Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala threatened to stop the same meeting.

Malala while addressing Kakamega residents argued that the meeting’s venue is in his political bedroom and that he has not been consulted.

He also argued that for such meetings to happen, the ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi must be consulted as the region’s Kingpin.

Malala told the residents that the meeting convened by Atwoli is fake, and that it has been nullified, urging them not to attend.

Atwoli in his response told off Malala, saying that the lawmaker is a junior senator who has neither the capacity to speak on behalf of the Luhya nation nor the ability to call off such meetings.

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Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has torn into Kakaemega senator Cleophas Malala over a Luhya meeting that is scheduled for December 31, 2021 at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega town.

Malala while addressing Kakamega residents on Sunday December 26, 2021 said that the meeting that has been planned by Atwoli is fake, and that it has been called off.

According to Malala, Atwoli must seek permission from Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi before holding a Luhyia meeting.

The vocal lawmaker went ahead to claim that Atwoli wants to use the meeting to force the Luhya community to endorse ODM leader Raila Odinga for 2022 presidency.

Malala argued that Kakamega is his political bedroom, and that there is no any meeting that was going to happen without him being consulted.

According to him, a meeting meant to endorse Raila should be held in one of his political backyards, either in Siaya or Kisumu.

“It is now official. The fake Luhya meeting slated for the 31st Dec at Bukhungu Stadium is hereby nullified, ” Malala posted on Twitter.

However, Atwoli while responding to the claims told off Malala, saying that he was too junior.

Atwoli argued that Malala has no capacity to speak on behalf of the Luhya community, and has no any ability to call off such meetings.

The flamboyant trade unionist went ahead to clarify that the Bukhungu meeting is still on, and that it will bring together all progressive leaders and locals from all the five Western Kenya region counties.

“You are a junior Senator who has neither the capacity to speak on behalf of the Luhya community nor the ability to call on and off such a meeting. The Bukhungu II meeting brings together ALL progressive leaders and locals from the 5 counties in the region,” Atwoli tweeted.

On Sunday December 26, 2021, Atwoli hosted the Orange party leader at his Khwisero home. Raila accepted the invite to attend the Bukhungu meeting.

From Atwoli’s home, Raila toured Busia County where he held meetings in Budalangi.

Raila declared his interest in the 2022 presidential race on Friday November 10, 2021 during the Azimio La Umoja Convention that was held at the Moi Sports Centre, Kasarani.

Deputy President William Ruto, Musalia Mudavadi, Mukhisa Kituyi and National Assembly speaker Justin Muturi are some of the leaders interested in succeeding President Uhuru Kenyatta.

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COTU boss Francis Atwoli’s wife and KTN news anchor Mary Kilobi has shared a video of him dancing while on a shopping spree at a high-end fashion store in Egypt.

In the video that has hence gone viral, the COTU boss breaks into dance while his Kilobi records him.

Atwoli can be seen receiving some clothes from a shop attendant.

Atwoli was also in the company of Muhoroni Member of Parliament, Onyango Koyoo who is also seen breaking into dances.

“Hon Koyoo and SG himself shopping in style,” Kilobi captioned the video followed by a laughing emoji.

The flamboyant COTU boss may have spent a lot of money at the high-end fashion store since his taste for expensive clothes is well known.

On September 7, Atwoli left the country for Seychelles for a continental meeting with Federation of Workers’ Unions officials from the government.

It is not clear whether he has been in Seychelles all through or jetted back into the country before heading to Egypt accompanied by Kilobi.

Below is the video.

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COTU boss Francis Atwoli has reacted to the vandalism of a road sign that was named in his honor in Kileleshwa, Nairobi.

The road formerly known as DikDik Road was renamed Francis Atwoli Road on Thursday May 27, with Nairobi County Deputy Governor Anne Kananu Mwenda witnessing the event.

“This road has been renamed after my good friend and brother bwana Francis Atwoli in recognition of his selfless contribution and agitating for the rights of the Kenyan workers in the last 54 years,” Kananu noted at the event that was attended by the trade unionist.

However, the road sign that had been raised at the road was pulled down by unknown people. Photos of the vandalized road sign were widely spread on social media on Sunday morning.

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Atwoli has, however, condemned the incident, saying that it only amounted to impunity and primitiveness.

According to Atwoli, anyone who might have felt unsatisfied should have followed necessary procedures and processes stated in law to challenge the renaming of the road.

He noted that the police will deal with the matter.

“Vandalization is impunity and primitiveness. In a country that believes in Rule of Law there are procedures and processes to be followed when unsatisfied. I am against anarchy. However, the police will look into that,” Atwoli noted via his official Twitter handle.

This was not, however, the first road to be renamed by the Nairobi County government.

In 2021, Accra Road was renamed Kenneth Matiba road and Eastleigh first avenue renamed Yusuf Hajji avenue.

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Just two months after being appointed the new Dean of Medical College at Aga Khan University, COTU boss Francis Atwoli’s son Dr Lukoye Atwoli has yet again landed a new plum position.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, a gazette notice dated Friday October 16, has appointed Dr Lukoye Atwoli as the non-executive Chairperson of Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital.

He will be the chairman of the Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital for a period of three years.

Lukoye is the former Dean of the Moi University School of Medicine, where he excelled at building collaborations and partnerships between the School of Medicine and academic medical centres in Africa, Europe, and the US, transforming it into a regionally leading research and graduate medical school.

Professor Atwoli also leads and participates in mental health research locally and globally, a move that might have also handed him a soft landing at the Mathari Hospital.

He is a member of the WHO World Mental Health Surveys Consortium, which is the leading collaborative project in psychiatric epidemiology globally.

He has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Moi University, and a Master of Medicine in Psychiatry from the University of Nairobi as well as a PhD from the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

Professor Lukoye has over 50 publications to his credit in academic books and in peer-reviewed journals.

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COTU boss Francis Atwoli has been linked to the dirty intrigues that saw a political deal between Deputy President William Ruto and Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi.

Atwoli is said to have been in talks with MPs allied to Mudavadi cautioning them to tread carefully with Ruto power strategy.

To Atwoli, according to a local daily, Ruto is an over-ambitious politician who, knowing what the presidency entails, will not forgo it for Mudavadi for himself to benefit.

According to sources, during Kibaki succession, Uhuru had agreed to step down for Mudavadi but it is the same Ruto who opposed and forced Uhuru to retreat back to the race.

He ended up winning and succeeding Mwai Kibaki, forming the government with Ruto as Mudavadi UDF party he ran on for the presidency was snatched from him, forcing the former vice president to find homage in ANC party, a brainchild of nominated MP Godfrey Osotsi.

Uhuru wanted Mudavadi in his first cabinet but Ruto was against the move, according to our impeccable sources.

Ruto’s fear was that with Mudavadi in the cabinet, he was to overshadow him in Uhuru succession 2022.

Analysts say that Ruto, Mudavadi power struggle started during their days in ODM when then ODM leader and Raila pushed for Mudavadi to be deputy prime in the power-sharing deal with Kibaki in the government of national unity.

Ruto having delivered many votes from Rift Valley Kalenjin land expected to be named deputy PM but instead, he was named Agriculture minister, and then moved to Education ministry before Raila sacked him.

With such a historical background and the fact that the current constitution does not allow Ruto to be deputy president after serving two terms, it is impossible for him to back Mudavadi’s presidential bid.

Instead, they argue that Mudavadi should be Ruto running mate. Another theory has it that Mudavadi power deal with Ruto was bound to complicate events in the DP camp as his followers are out to gain plum political offices and to them, Mudavadi is an outsider.

Reports of the Ruto-Mudavadi alliance started emerging after the ANC leader made political moves where he incessantly attacked Raila triggering speculation he was plotting to team up with the deputy president.

The reports were given credence after one of Ruto’s vocal supporters, Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, stated that most leaders in Western region allied to the DP had no problem accommodating Mudavadi.

But the mooted alliance came to the public limelight when Ruto secretly met MPs allied to Mudavadi and Wetang’ula at his Karen residence before he proceeded to State House to attend Madaraka Day celebrations.

Ruto’s meeting came four days after Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali had hosted 32 MCAs drawn from four counties in Western Kenya where he told them to be friends with Mudavadi because he was in talks with the DP for a possible pact ahead of the 2022 elections.

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President Uhuru Kenyatta today at Harambee House, Nairobi met Western Kenya leaders to discuss development projects in the region.

The President and the leaders discussed the ongoing Government efforts to revive the ailing sugar sector especially Mumias and Nzoia sugar factories.

The Head of State assured the leaders of the Government’s commitment to reviving the sector by fast tracking the implementation of the sugar taskforce report.

The sugar sector revival report generated by a Presidential taskforce co-chaired by Agriculture CS Peter Munya and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya outlined several interventions among them writing off of debts owed by the millers.

As part of the revival process, the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture has already published the sugar sector regulations and is in the process of strengthening the legal framework to anchor sector reforms.

Shortly after the meeting, the President handed over a brand new 52-seater bus to Nzoia Sugar Company Chairman Joash Wamang’oli.

The bus will be used by Nzoia Sugar Football Club for their sporting engagements. The President also donated Ksh 2 million to the football team.

Nzoia Football Club is sponsored the by the sugar miller.

The leaders in today’s meeting were Governors Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega), Sospeter Ojaamong (Busia), Wycliffe Wangamati (Bungoma), Wilbur Ottichilo (Vihiga) and Patrick Khaemba (Trans-Nzoia).

Other Western Kenya leaders present were Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa and COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli.

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Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has dismissed claims of him being admitted at a City Hospital over coronavirus.

The vocal Trade unionist through his official twitter account has termed the reports as fake news.

“Let’s avoid sharing fake news. Considering I am a person of interest if I were to get hospitalized I’ll make it public. It’s God, the one God I pray to, who takes care of me,” Atwoli tweeted.

COTU also reiterated Atwoli’s stance while giving an update on the Secretary-General’s health.

“FAKE NEWS ALERT Avoid the fake news making rounds that our Secretary General Bro Francis Atwoli, @AtwoliDza, has been hospitalized. The SG is in good health and has been busy attending meetings and online engagement aimed at cushioning workers from the economic shock of COVID,” reads the tweet.

This follows reports on social media and various local news outlets that Atwoli had been admitted at a City Hospital after contracting the deadly virus.

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Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula has launched a fresh onslaught against COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli.

Speaking during an interview with a local radio station on Monday June 15, Wetang’ula asked Atwoli to “leave politics to politicians”.

He further accused Atwoli of confusing the Luhya nation.

The besieged Ford-Kenya party leader further attacked Atwoli on his mandate in representing workers.

“Atwoli is a failure. He has failed to cushion the Kenyan worker whose salary is deducted to enrich him. Majority of workers, especially in flower farms and industries are suffering. What has he done to help them? Let him stick to his mandate and leave politics to politicians

“Atwoli has no authority to choose any politician as the Mulembe people spokesperson. He is a failure himself. Let him stop chest thumping because nobody appointed him as our patron,” Wetangula stated.

The embattled former Senate Minority Leader further pointed out that he and his ANC counterpart, former Vice President Musalia Mudavadi had not been invited to meetings held at Atwoli’s Kajiado ranch.

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COTU boss Francis Atwoli now wants impeached Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru to be saved by the senate after she was on Tuesday ousted.

She was impeached after 23 out of 33 MCAs voted in support of a motion tabled to impeach her.

Atwoli has appealed to the Senate to save Waiguru for the sake of Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

The Cotu boss said it was wrong for the Kirinyaga MCAs to impeach the first-term governor at a time the BBI was entering the execution stages.

Atwoli asked the Senate to save Waiguru so that BBI activities in Mount Kenya are not interrupted. He added that Waiguru has been loyal to President Uhuru Kenyatta and has stood behind the activities of the Building Bridges Initiative.

Waiguru was one of the Mt Kenya leaders selected last year to lead the BBI campaign in the region following a meeting of Gema community leaders and President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Atwoli in an interview with a local daily said Uhuru was using BBI to change how politics is run so Kenya remains stable and prosperous.

“If Waiguru is wrong, they can use the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission or the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to address any wrongdoing. However, we are calling for a dialogue,” Atowli said.

“There are many channels of addressing issues in our Constitution. It would be good if the MCAs considered them first.”

Atwoli said Waiguru is the only governor in Mount Kenya who has stood strongly with BBI.

“We are talking about changing the Constitution for good. This will help us stop violence during election periods and ensure the country’s stability,” Atwoli said.

Atwoli said he was confident that the BBI will go through and be implemented.

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Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi on Wednesday night tore into President Uhuru Kenyatta, his handshake partner the ODM party leader Raila Odinga and COTU secretary General Francis Atwoli.

Appearing on Citizen TV’s JKLIVE hosted by Jeff Koinange, the senior counsel dropped bombshells and serious hard tackles targeting the trio.

Speaking on Uhuru and Raila’s good shared relationship, the lawyer stated that in a presidential system like Kenya’s, the president cannot share executive authority with members from another political party.

Ahmednasir said that it is a high time the President told Kenyans what is going on between him and his Deputy Dr William Samoei Ruto.

He further stated that the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) is completely unnecessary, citing that it is a game show played by the President and honourable Raila.

According to he lawyer, some of the things the President is doing with the opposition, with Raila, are completely against the constitution.

He also noted that it is hypocritical to say that Raila was coming to save Jubilee, citing that Raila’s history is very clear; he never comes to save a party.

However, the COTU boss was not spared. Atwoli, he is a great critic of DP Ruto has in most cases viewed as an advisor to the head of state.

But according to Grand Muller, Atwoli can’t offer any advice to the president. Ahmednasir notes that the trade unionist is barely illiterate, and can only crack jokes and throw telephones.

“What advice can Atwoli give the President? Atwoli is barely literate… What advice can he give to a President?… maybe crack jokes or throw telephones,” he said.

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Flamboyant City Lawyer Donald Kipkorir has revealed why COTU boss Francis Atwoli breaks his expensive iPhones when angry.

Taking to his social media handles on Monday afternoon, lawyer Kipkorir revealed that Atwoli medicates when he breaks his phones when he gets pissed off.

According to the city lawyer, Psychology approves Catharsis, which is venting anger on inanimate objects.

He says people like Atwoli who employ Catharsis for anger management will never assault human beings and, he is ahead in the medical curve.

“In breaking his iPhones when angry, Francis Atwoli is actually medicating. Psychology approves Catharsis, which is venting anger on inanimate objects. People like Atwoli who employ Catharsis for anger management will never assault human beings & is ahead in the medical curve,” tweeted the lawyer.

The lawyer’s remarks come barely hours after a video showing Atwoli throwing away his phone during a media presser went viral.

Atwoli is seen in the video hurling his phone on the ground when addressing allegations around ex-CS Rashid Echesa’s visit to DP William Ruto’s office.

The Labour boss questioned why Deputy President William Ruto told the country that he did not know if Echesa and his co-accused had access to his Harambee Annex office.

“The DP wants to tell us that Echesa and other foreigners were in his office more than 1 hour and 22 minutes and no one told him that they were in his office…yet that is the second-highest office in the land?” he posed before invoking his infamous ‘Washenzi’ refrain. 

However, this is not the first time Atwoli was throwing away his phone.

In an interview with Citizen TV’s Jeff Koinange last year, the COTU boss caught angry after someone kept on calling him while he was on air, took his phone, switched it off and threw it away.

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Kakamega senator Cleophas Malala is a lonely man after being put on blackout by the Central Organization Trade union (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli.

Sources close to Atwoli disclose that Malala was tasked the duty of organizing the Bukhungu BBI rally given over Ksh. 3 million by Atwoli to organize the BBI meeting at Bukhungu stadium.

He ended up using less than half a million on the organization of the Rally. This then led to the use of low quality public address system- something that did not go well with Atwoli.

Malala is believed to have been brought to the Kakamega senatorial race by Francis Atwoli who not only endorsed him but funded his campaign.

Malala being given a cold shoulder by Atwoli will prove difficult for him to ascend to the governor position in 2022 after the exit of ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya considering that Atwoli is a respected elder of the Luhya community and majority of the residents of the county listen to him.

Malala is not a new face to the media limelight as in November 2019 he was expelled from the ANC party on grounds of indiscipline and disloyalty.

Malala is an expected gubernatorial candidate for the Kakamega governorship in 2022 and the silence from Atwoli is a threat to his political career.

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Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa has slammed COTU boss Francis Atwoli, arguing that a death certificate is more important than the trade unionist.

While justifying his point, Barasa said that a death certificate of your parents can secure you a bursary and secure you a loan from HELB as well.

This, according to him makes a death certificate more important than “Atwoli and his group who are planning a meeting in Bukhungu to drum up support for BBI recommendations that are not opposed”.

The January 18 meeting in Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega championed by Atwoli is meant to discuss the Building Bridges Initiative report.

Atwoli and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya are spearheading the January 18 meeting.

The Bukhungu meeting was mooted on Boxing Day at Atwoli’s residence in Khwisero in Kakamega, attended by Raila and Oparanya.

A section of the politicians , led by ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, have warned that the meeting is likely to be used to whip up ethnic emotions for the political gain of certain individuals.

However, a faction led by Oparanya maintains that the event is meant to give locals a platform to air their views on the BBI report.

Leaders opposed to the meeting have further questioned Atwoli’s role in preparing a national government function.

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COTU boss Francis Atwoli has hit out at Kandara MP Alice Wahome for accusing him of spearheading President Uhuru Kenyatta’s 2022 agenda.

Wahome on Thursday claimed that Uhuru and former Premiere Raila Odinga are planning to use the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report as a ‘political mercenary’ to disregard the Constitution and cling onto power post 2022. 

Senior politicians have in the recent past alluded to the idea that at the age of 60 years, President Uhuru will be too young to hang his political boots.

The leaders include COTU Boss Francis Atwoli, former Jubilee Party Vice-Chairperson David Murathe and most recently former minister Noah Wekesa, with Wahome saying that those persons maybe opining to what is the actual plan.

Addressing the media from Nakuru, Atwoli predicted that Wahome would fail to retain her Kandara seat come 2022.

“I can assure Kenyans Alice Wahome will not win the Kandara seat in 2022, because people want people who are advocating for peace in this country,” Atwoli proclaimed.

Atwoli accused Wahome of misleading Kenyans by alleging that he was in the employ of the president, firmly stating that he was a free person with the right to have opinions.

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