This archive report was first published on 1 May 2017.
Labour Day in Nairobi on May 1, 2017, carried a clear political edge as Kenya moved closer to the August polls. What was meant to be a workers’ day quickly became a stage for election talk, with competing political interests visible around the celebrations.
Central Organisation of Trade Unions secretary-general Francis Atwoli used the occasion to commend Jubilee for what he described as a free and fair nomination process. His remarks came as the country’s political temperature rose with only three months left before voters went to the ballot.
The event also reflected the broader contest unfolding in the capital, where rivals were already positioning themselves for the campaign season. The Labour Day gathering, therefore, was not just about workers’ rights and speeches, but also about the political mood shaping the 2017 race.
