Uhuru directs Labour CS to gazette COTU nominee to NSSF

President Uhuru Kenyatta has moved to unlock a stalemate pitting the Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) the Labour Ministry and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) board.

The Head of State Sunday during Labour Day celebrations directed the Labour Cabinet secretary Simon Chelugui to gazette the appointment of COTU nominee Rose Omamo.

Her appointment last year in September was rejected on grounds of her ethnicity with the CS stating that the board had three members from Nyanza region.

Cotu had submitted the names of Isaac Okello and Ms Omamo on August 12 last year for appointment but Chelugui approved the former and left out Omamo, a member of Cotu executive.

In protest, the umbrella body of trade unions in Kenya moved to court to challenge the outcome partly paralysing operations of the board.

This is after the court stopped the board from transacting any business pending the determination of the petition.

President Kenyatta waded into the matter after COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli sought his intervention in the presence of the CS who also graced the occasion.

While expressing fears of mismanagement, Atwoli made a case for the protection of the workers’ kitty from corrupt individuals and wondered why eight months later their nominee had not been appointed.

“ NSSF is the only fund that hasn’t been interfered with by corrupt Kenyans who smell money” he said.

The President immediately turned to the CS and ordered him to have Ms Omamo gazetted by Wednesday.

Atwoli did also not spare the NHIF fund which he said was not benefiting workers as it should under the UHC programme and once again sought the executive’s help to ensure COTU has a seat at the public health insurer.

“NHIF is an organization that is close to workers but the worker’s contributions are being pocketed by individuals at NHIF. We propose an articulate and effective representation at NHIF” said Atwoli.

His wish could not be granted because it would take a parliamentary process to institute changes to the NHIF structure that was reviewed early this year in sweeping changes contained in NHIF Amendment bill 2022.