Political violence could lead to capital, investor flight, FKE warns

Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) has warned that any form of political violence ahead of the August general election could affect the stabilizing business environment that arose from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

FKE Executive Director Jacqueline Mugo said they were not supporting any political faction but were keen on a leader who’ll make the business environment stable and suitable to attract investors.

The two main political coalitions are Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance led by ODM leader Raila Odinga and Kenya Kwanza Alliance led by UDA leader and Deputy President William Ruto.

“As a federation, we’ll not support any political wing but we are keen on election of a leader who’ll make the business environment stable and suitable for a middle income economy like Kenya,” Mugo told attentive delegates during the FKE Rift Valley Region Annual General Meeting at a Nakuru Hotel.

On the factional politics, Ms Mugo promised to stay neutral and will not take the route by Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli who threw their weight behind the Odinga led coalition.

“We just need to remain neutral in any political dispensation but what’s crucial to us is to have a leader who’ll give us a conducive working environment,” the FKE boss pointed out.

However, she said her members have a right to express their democratic rights to their preferred presidential candidate but should do it maturely not to evoke emotions in work places.

On the workers’ welfare ahead of the International Labour Day Celebrations, she said they were engaging the policy makers to ensure employees had their salaries increased.

And with the admission of Democratic Republic of Congo into the East Africa Community, she said FKE was ready to assist its members have their presence felt in the regional economic market.

‘As a federation, we’ll work round the clock to ensure our presence is felt within the regional economic block. And this can only be achieved in a peaceful environment”, added Mugo who called on women professionals to seek career growth by enrolling for part-time courses.

“You (women professionals) need to enhance your career growth by enrolling in part time training in order to take leading roles in leadership,” she told the attentive audience.

Ms Mugo appealed to the government to lower the cost of doing business in the country to attract more investors.