Francis Atwoli, the long-serving Secretary General of the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU), has received unanimous backing from 42 General Secretaries of affiliated trade unions to contest the upcoming COTU (K) elections in August.
In a statement on Tuesday, January 6, Atwoli said he hosted the union leaders for a preparatory lunch meeting where they collectively endorsed his bid to continue leading COTU.
“Today, in my capacity as Secretary General of COTU (K), I hosted 42 General Secretaries from affiliated trade unions for a preparatory lunch, during which they unanimously endorsed me to lead them into the COTU (K) elections scheduled for August this year, as a team and in solidarity,” Atwoli said.
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If re-elected, Atwoli will mark his 25th year at the helm of COTU, solidifying his status as one of Kenya’s longest-serving labor leaders.
Atwoli’s influence stretches beyond Kenya. In June 2025, he was unanimously re-elected as Deputy President of the Commonwealth Trade Union Group (CTUG) in Brussels, Belgium. CTUG brings together national trade union centres from Commonwealth nations, representing over 70 million workers in more than 40 countries.
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been unanimously re-elected as Deputy President of the Commonwealth Trade Union Group (CTUG),” Atwoli said, also congratulating Toni Moore of Barbados on her election as CTUG President. “I look forward to continuing our work together in building stronger, fairer, and more inclusive labour systems across the Commonwealth,” he added.
