Francis Atwoli is showing every sign that he has no intention of stepping down from power, even as he nears 80 years old.
Instead of stepping aside with dignity, he’s using brutal, thuggish tactics to maintain control over COTU and silence anyone who dares challenge him.
His desperation is not only shameful but dangerous, as he turns Kenya’s labor movement into a battlefield for his personal ego.
Rather than mentor the next generation or help workers, Atwoli is behaving like a warlord, holding unions hostage while destroying the lives and careers of those around him.
According to the shocking revelations shared on X, Atwoli is now targeting the leadership of six independent unions.
These include the Water and Sanitation Union, the Commercial sector, Journalism, Security, Puton, and the Transport and Allied Workers Union (TAWU). In all six, the story is the same: intimidate, frustrate, and remove sitting Secretary Generals who won’t bow to him.
This is not union leadership it’s mafia-style sabotage. It’s a disgrace that someone in his position would stoop so low just to stay relevant. And it’s not just hearsay.
Activist Hanifa posted the thread exposing this rot, and the details are deeply disturbing. The post paints a picture of a man clinging to power through manipulation, violence, and total disrespect for the rule of law.
Take the case of TAWU. On May 26, Atwoli allegedly sent goons to physically attack the union’s current SG, Dan Mihadi, in his own office. Mihadi narrowly escaped the assault.
Soon after, Nicholas Ogola was installed illegally, with no respect for the union’s constitution. Even more worrying is how the judiciary appears to have been compromised.
Mihadi had a favorable court judgment which was mysteriously overturned. Ogola’s side has been bragging openly that Atwoli paid off the judges to keep Mihadi out of the way.
These are not just wild accusations. A forgery complaint was later used to arrest Mihadi, but the person whose name was on the complaint denied ever filing it.
Despite this, police have refused to clear Mihadi and continue to harass him, with insiders warning that Atwoli has pumped money into the system to ensure Mihadi is buried under legal battles.
And this is just one case. The same pattern is playing out across the other five unions. One by one, independent leaders are being sabotaged and replaced with loyalists.
The system is being rigged from within, and Atwoli is at the center of it. What makes this worse is the silence from authorities.
Why is no one holding him accountable? How can the police and courts allow one man to undermine Kenya’s labor institutions so openly? It’s a disgrace to the trade union movement.
Atwoli is not a leader. He’s a thug who has built a career on intimidation, fear, and betrayal. It’s time he was shown the door for good. Instead of building a legacy, he’s leaving behind a trail of destroyed unions and broken lives.
The unions must rise up and reject this outdated, corrupt leadership before more damage is done.
