This archive report was first published on 24 October 2019.
Francis Atwoli, the Secretary-General of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu), made headlines on October 23, 2019, when he threw away his iPhone during a live TV interview on JK Live.
Atwoli received a call in the middle of the interview and, after a brief moment, he removed his phone from his pocket and threw it away. It is unclear whether the phone was damaged or not.
The incident sparked a mixed reaction from netizens, with some criticizing Atwoli for his actions.
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, a known critic of Deputy President William Ruto, was among those who trolled Atwoli on Twitter.
"What are you complaining about? Workers will pay," Murkomen tweeted.
Atwoli's actions were also criticized by other Kenyans on social media, with some questioning his decision to throw away his phone.
"Highest Level of pride, the phone price can buy someone food for a whole month. No reason can be given to explain such arrogance in a public TV," one Twitter user wrote.
Atwoli has been in the news before for his comments on the Cotu umbrella union's finances. In 2014, he admitted that the union earns Sh360 million a month from workers' contributions, which translates to between Sh1.9 billion and Sh4.3 billion annually.
