Joel Kandie elected new chairman of Cotu
Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli (Centre), first assistant Secretary General Ernest Nadome (left) and Joel Kandie during a past function in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- Mr Kandie also holds the position of General Secretary of the Tiles and Textile Workers Union.
- The board also settled on Mr Wycliffe Nyamwatta as the second Vice Chairman General of the union.
The Executive Board of the Central Organization of Trade Union (COTU) has elected Joel Kandie as its new chairman to replace Rajabu Mwondi who died in August.
The giant workers union, in an executive board meeting held on Friday at its headquarters, unanimously settled on Mr Kandie to continue steering the activities of the outfit that has been vacant since August.
Mr Kandie, who has served in Cotu (K) for more than four decades now, also holds the position of General Secretary of the Tiles and Textile Workers Union.
The board, in its 111 executive meeting, also settled on Mr Wycliffe Nyamwatta as the second Vice Chairman General of the union.
Mr Nyamwatta has been a member of the Executive Board of Cotu (K) for two decades now and continues serving as the General Secretary of Kenya Engineering Workers Union.
Rights of Kenyan workers
Addressing the media after the election of the two officials, Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli urged the newly-elected officials to continue agitating for the enhancement of rights and welfare of Kenyan workers as that is the core reason why the union exists.
Mr Atwoli said unity of the workers’ union is key in ensuring that workers' plight are championed and intended results achieved.
“Stability is key to any organisation and, as Cotu (K), we shall continue ensuring that the Union is united and stable so as to serve Kenyan workers.” Mr Atwoli said.
Meanwhile, Mr Atwoli said the 5th congress of the International Confederation of Trade Unions (Africa), ITUC – Africa will be held in Nairobi from November 28th to 30th
Role of trade unions
The participants will come together to, foremost, discuss the future of Labour in Africa and the role of trade unions in shaping and facilitating the attainment of a better Africa.
President William Ruto will be chief guest during the official opening of the congress for the union that has more than 17 million members drawn from 51 countries.
“Cotu (K), which is affiliated with the ITUC-Africa, is privileged to host the 5th Congress of the ITUC this year with more than 500 delegates from across Africa and outside Africa, including trade unionists and leaders in the labour movement,” Mr Atwoli said.
ITUC-Africa, headquartered in Lome, Togo, is a pan-African trade union organisation that was established in November 2007 following the merger of two former African trade union organisations, namely ICTU-Afro and DOAWTU.
ITUC-Africa has 17 million declared members and 101 affiliated trade union centres in 51 African countries.
