AS IT HAPPENED: Labour Day celebrations

2:15pm: Labour Day celebrations conclude at Uhuru Park in Nairobi.

2:10pm Kazungu: Before this year ends we will be able to ascertain the economic index and see if we can increase salaries accordingly. We are pleading for more time since we are a new government.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is in Tanzania for the East African Community Extraordinary Heads of State Summit, urged workers to raise productivity even as they seek better terms.

(DOWNLOAD: President Uhuru Kenyatta's Labour Day speech)

2:08pm Kazungu: The government is looking into improving working conditions of Kenyans in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Jordan and Kuwait.

2:00pm Kazungu: There is urgent need for establishment of an alternative dispute resolution mechanism to avoid the confusion we have seen in the Industrial Court.

1:57pm Kazungu: I want to echo Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko's plea. We should put aside divisive politics. I want to sit with Mr Atwoli and decide how much the minimum wage should be. The government recognises workers and we would not be here if we didn't.

1:55pm Labour Cabinet Secretary Kambi Kazungu makes his speech.

1:54pm Atwoli: I am also putting Naivas Supermarket on notice. They should not prevent their workers from joining trade unions.

I want to thank leaders of Sonu for refusing to be used to disrupt today's celebrations. Be fearless.

1:50pmAtwoli: Don't make Cotu a political union. We must remain neutral as we represent workers of different political affiliations. Productivity should also not determine minimum wage.

1:46pm Atwoli: Let us not bring ethnicity into the workers union. The CS and I may have our differences but it should not affect the workers.

1:39pm Atwoli: I am not corrupt. I will defend workers with my own life. We are not here for show or compensation. Political leadership should guide and not divide us.

1:35pm Atwoli: Thank you for recognising us as Kenyan and African workers. We must respect workers.

1:33pm Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli takes the podium.

1:23pm Mugo: Despite challenges in the Labour sector last year, we have reduced the number of industrial strikes.

We want to work with Cotu and other unions to maintain this status quo and focus on improving the economy. We are relying on the Labour Ministry to resolve the dispute we have seen playing out in public. We need to ensure that increasing minimum wage does not take us backwards.

1:21pm Federation of Kenya Employers executive director Jacqueline Mugo makes her speech.

1:18pm Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko calls Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli and Labour CS Kazungu Kambi to the podium, asks them to embrace and stop divisive politics.

1:12pm Duale: The Government of Uhuru Kenyatta wants to build the railway as well as roads, ensure that women and youth gets funds to develop their business. Workers are instrumental in the plans we have for this country.

1:08pm Duale: We join hands with workers in Kenya. No country can develop without workers. The productivity and economy of this nation is anchored on workers.

Under the leadership of Atwoli, we want stability in the workers union so we can increase productivity. We don't want politics. We don't want the government or the civil society to meddle in the activities of the union. We want the workers to run the union themselves.

1:04pm Majority Leader Aden Duale takes the podium.

1:02pm: Wetang'ula: On behalf of all Senators and the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord), we stand with Mr Atwoli and urge leaders to refrain from trying to weaken the resolve of Cotu.

Cotu has helped this country and anybody who loves this country will stop trying to weaken the union. We shall not sit back and watch.

12:59pm Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula takes the podium.

12:55pm: The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government leaves Uhuru Park after finishing his speech.

12:47pm Lenku: This is a day to celebrate Kenyan workers regardless of political affiliation. Anything that goes against that is in bad faith.

We will continue to boost security because if we don't, workers cannot have a suitable environment to earn a living and develop the country.

12:41pm Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government Joseph ole Lenku makes his speech.

12:16pm Security beefed up as celebrations at Uhuru Park continue.

12:12pm Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko joins dancers.

12:02pm Budalang'i MP Ababu Namwamba, Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama are welcomed by Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang'ula and Mr Atwoli.

11:57am Senator James Orengo and Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli join traditional dancers at Uhuru Park.

11:55pm Members of Pusetu hold parallel Labour Day celebrations outside Knut headquarters on Mfangano Street.

11:46am Majority Leader of the National Assembly Adan Duale and Siaya Senator James Orengo arrive for the celebrations.

11:02am Nation Reporter Lucas Barasa spots Pusetu officials heading back into town after GSU officers barred them from entering Uhuru Park.

Members of Pusetu marched from Moi Avenue through University Way towards Serena Hotel at around 10am.

The Sossion-led team then attempted to hold a parallel meeting at the entrance but were stopped by the GSU.

10:42am Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka said on Twitter: "Lets celebrate the Labour that builds up this great nation Kenya. From shamba to shamba, desk to desk, they built it hand in hand#HappyLaborDay."

Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Water and Natural Resources Judi Wakhungu said:

10:29am Low turn-out at Uhuru Park as celebrations kick off.

This is despite assurances from Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi that there would be tight security during the event.

The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) told the Industrial Court that Pusetu, the new workers’ body might resort to violence to hijack the celebrations.

Pusetu was then served with a restraint order barring them from disrupting the event. (READ: Pusetu served with restraint order)

Mr Atwoli said they had spent Sh35 million organising Labour Day celebrations as “it is a workers’ affair and no person can dictate to us how to hold it”.

Cotu and Pusetu are engaged in a supremacy battle with claims rife that the government established the latter to to create disharmony in the Labour sector. (READ: Inside the big battle for workers billions)

10:26am Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government Joseph ole Lenku also at Uhuru Park.

10:20am Administration Police band leads procession that will feature workers from different sectors in the country.

10:12am Religious leaders at the the podium to conduct prayers before the ceremony begins.

10:10am Kenyans at Uhuru Park sing the National Anthem.

10:05am Members of the Federation of Public Service Trade Unions (Pusetu) are on Moi Avenue marching towards Uhuru Park.

10am Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi and Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli have arrived for the event.