COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli strongly rejected allegations that the union lost over 2 million members, calling government data "politically motivated" and "doctored." The dispute emerged as COTU prepared for minimum wage negotiations ahead of May 1, 2022.
Atwoli highlighted a 2016 decline in workers covered by Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) from 367,000 to 16,100 by 2020, but argued official statistics omitted COTU's internal records showing 2.35 million workers directly under CBAs and 2 million more benefiting indirectly from union-negotiated terms.
The union leader accused the Ministry of Labour of obstructing COTU's activities, including blocking its nominee for the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Board. He also criticized the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics for conflicting data, noting KIPRA's 63% poverty rate versus KNBS' 53% and population figures ranging from 47.5 million to 53.7 million.
Atwoli acknowledged pandemic-related membership drops in 2020 but claimed numbers had recovered post-lockdown. He emphasized COTU's commitment to fair wages amid inflation, stating, "We will ensure Kenyan workers get what they deserve during the negotiations." The conflict coincided with a 2021 salary agreement signed by Atwoli, underscoring ongoing labor disputes.
