COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli has hit back at the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) after the employer body said it would only apply President William Ruto’s 12 per cent wage increase to minimum wages, dismissing the position as misleading and contrary to the government’s directive.
Speaking on Tuesday, May 5, Atwoli was clear that the 12 per cent increase announced by President Ruto on Labour Day was a general wage adjustment meant for all workers, not just those earning minimum wage.
The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) boss went ahead to confirm that once gazetted by the Ministry of Labour, it would become law and fully enforceable.
“The president said this was a general wage increase. Once it is gazetted, it automatically becomes law and enforceable. That is what is done everywhere in the world,” Atwoli stated.
He went further, urging Kenyans to pay no attention to communications coming from FKE on the matter.
“We want to tell Kenyans to ignore the statements being released by the Federation of Kenya Employers. We must ignore those press releases,” he said.
Atwoli also accused FKE of having a history of dragging its feet on wage implementation, saying the employer body has consistently delayed or opposed wage adjustments in the past, slowing down benefits that workers are rightfully entitled to.
On the other side of the dispute, FKE CEO Jacqueline Mugo stood firm on Monday, May 4, saying employers would strictly follow existing legal frameworks governing minimum wages.
She made it clear that salaries above the minimum wage threshold would not be adjusted, as those continue to be governed by individual employment contracts.
The standoff has left many workers confused and uncertain about whether they will actually see the increase in their payslips.
The dispute follows Ruto’s Labour Day announcement on May 1, where he declared a 12 per cent general wage increase and a 15 per cent increase in agricultural wages for all Kenyan workers.
“I am pleased to announce a 12 per cent increase in general wages and a 15 per cent increase in agricultural wages to all Kenyan workers,” the President said.
