It was the month of love in 2022, but trade unionist Francis Atwoli had no affection for then Deputy President William Ruto.
February 7, 2022 was the day Mr Atwoli made the infamous "kata miti" (cut down the trees) remark to imply that UDA candidate Dr Ruto was going to lose the August 9 presidential election to Azimio's Raila Odinga and the best way to ensure he did not hurt himself was to have trees in his Sugoi homeland.
It was during that same speech at an event attended by then President Uhuru Kenyatta that Mr Atwoli, the secretary-general of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu), apparently demeaned Dr Ruto further by saying that he had chances of fathering him and could, therefore, not seek help from the younger man.
A month later, Dr Ruto proved that there was no love lost between the two when he told off the trade unionist using choice harsh words that questioned Mr Atwoli’s intelligence for taking the government to court over to oppose changes to the National Hospital Insurance Fund rates.
“And those are the people roaming the corridors of power, giving us lectures,” he said.
Mr Atwoli was sure to fire back, questioning Ruto’s integrity.
Fast forward to January 2025 and the two are bosom buddies in a classic case of politics having no permanent enemies.
On Wednesday, January 22, Dr Ruto visited Mr Atwoli’s home in Khwisero, Kakamega County, as part of the President’s tour of Western Kenya.
By September 2022, even before Dr Ruto had been sworn in, Mr Atwoli had turned from a critic to a supporter.
“He is the President, and I am urging all Kenyans to rally behind him and give him an opportunity to form his government,” he said at the time.
Part of a social media post Mr Atwoli made in relation to Dr Ruto’s recent visit read: “Thank you, Your Excellency, for visiting and sharing a meal with us.”
Francis Atwoli's first wife, Jeniffer Khainja Atwoli, with President William Ruto at Khwisero Kakamega. Atwoli hosted the President for lunch during his tour of Western Kenya on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool | Nation
“You are a shameless old man,” wrote Petero.
“You lost the ability to defend workers and now all you know is the politics of eating … as workers suffer with over-taxation,” typed Mike.
NN Mac said: “Unless you retract that thing of ‘kata miti’ openly, l won’t trust you.”
Nation.Africa reached out to Mr Atwoli on Friday, January 24 and he said this wasn’t Dr Ruto’s first visit to his home.
“(He came) because his function happened near my home, and he is a person who knows my home. It was not his first time to come here,” Mr Atwoli said by phone from his Khwisero home.
“Alijua ile ilikuwa game ya siasa (He knew it was the game of politics),” said Mr Atwoli.
“Let me tell you one thing you don’t know: Whether you like it or not, we as workers work with the government of the day.”
Countercurrents.org, an India-based publication that covers issues around the world, wrote in 2023 that Kenya's labour movement was failing its citizens by allowing politics to be defined largely along tribal lines.
“There is no evidence in Kenya that trade unions are engaged in raising the class consciousness of workers. Kenyan politics is driven by bourgeois politicians ‘guiding’ workers along tribal or religious lines, and keeping them away from class issues and from their ideology of capitalism. This lack of class consciousness is particularly evident at times of elections where key issues are never about class exploitation and worker rights. This is the most important failure of the trade union movement. It was not always the case ... before independence,” it wrote.
But Mr Atwoli’s counter-argument is that trade unions are always in a give-and-take with the government.
“Employers, workers and the government work together. So, there’s no way I would have isolated myself,” said Mr Atwoli. “You cannot work in isolation with the government. What we were doing was politics in Azimio. It was not personal.”
So, does he regret his spirited attacks before the 2022 polls?
“No, no,” he said. “As a Kenyan, you are free to join any movement of your own choice. You are free to say anything under the sun as long as you are not infringing on other people’s rights. And our Constitution allows you to exercise your democratic right. So, why should I regret?”
He went on: “Most Kenyans don’t understand that we didn’t have any war; we didn’t have any ill feeling towards one another. We were just trying to exercise our democratic rights, of which Kenya Kwanza leaders, including the President, recognise. We are all brothers and sisters.”
Asked if he would adopt the same stance with whomever wins the 2027 General Election, vintage Atwoli emerged, claiming that there is no chance that Dr Ruto will lose.
“We have never had a president in Kenya who has served (only) five years. Kenyans have set a tradition. Even if we elect you today, Ondieki, be prepared to serve your 10 years,” he told this reporter.
This brings a sense of déjà vu to anyone who heard Mr Atwoli declare that former President Uhuru Kenyatta was too young to retire; that Dr Ruto would never be president, among other utterances in support of Mr Kenyatta.
“Kenyans should be prepared for that. Unless the sitting president is senile, or he’s under a critical and chronic illness that he cannot wake up from, (a second term is assured),” said Mr Atwoli.
To those who think he is not fighting for the workers, Mr Atwoli asked them to wake up and smell the coffee.
“Those are sleeping, uninformed and – how can I term it? – people full of hate. Three-quarters of my speeches are always covering workers,” said Mr Atwoli.
Describing the various roles he holds in the international labour movement, some of which are elective, he said anyone who is perceptive enough can establish that he cannot be elected to international roles if he does not speak for workers.
“These (critics) are social media guys. And social media guys are not real. Some harbour hate, some are hired guns, some are goons. But you go to the trade unions. Walk into the unions’ offices and ask general secretaries whether I’m delivering or not,” said Mr Atwoli.
On the forthcoming increment in National Social Security Fund (NSSF) deductions, Mr Atwoli said no one should complain when they are being helped to save money.
"If someone takes (money) from my salary and saves it for me, that is the best way to go. NSSF money is your money," he said. "We can also use the same money to develop our country. And when the government pays back, it pays with interest, instead of the government borrowing from the IMF and the World Bank.
From "I know who won't be president" to "a second term is assured", the man from Mulwanda has perfected the art of jumping between trees instead of cutting them down.
