Cotu threatens to call strike in protest over high cost of living

The workers’ umbrella organisation has threatened to call a nationwide strike to protest at the high cost of living.

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions said it wrote to President Kibaki a week ago urging him to act to ease pressure on Kenyans, and that it would ask workers to boycott work if he fails to take action.

Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli at the weekend blamed economic woes facing ordinary Kenyans on politically-connected cartels.

Mr Atwoli said prices of petroleum products had increased four-fold and accused the Energy Regulatory Commission of working for the interests of oil cartels.

“We wrote a letter to President Kibaki more than a week ago asking him to act on the high cost of living, which has reduced a majority of Kenyans to beggars. If he fails to respond accordingly, we’ll be forced to make our stand known by tomorrow... we will mobilise the entire country to a complete standstill,” he said during a fundraiser at Agoro Sare Mixed Secondary School in Rachuonyo South District.

Cotu, he said, had enlisted the support of all industrial sectors, including matatu organisations, which he said were ready to join the strike.

Raise funds for elections

Mr Atwoli challenged President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to save Kenyans from the jaws of cartels that he accused of deliberately plundering all key sectors of economy to raise funds for elections without regard to the suffering of ordinary Kenyans.

“These cartels deliberately executed the scheme to weaken the Kenya shilling against international currencies, they also created artificial sugar shortage, imported cheap sugar wrapped in local brand names and sold it at exorbitant prices — all this aimed at impoverishing Kenyans,” he added.

He told Kenyans to be ready to join the strike and prepare to vote out leaders who are hell-bent to benefit from their woes at whatever costs.

The threat comes when the inflation rate is expected to hit the 20 per cent mark.

The inflation rate stands at 19.72 per cent, according to government statistics.