0
0 
Human rights activist and former Kenya Civil Servants Union Secretary General Dr. Isaac Newton Kinity has delivered a hard-hitting Labour Day message criticizing President William Ruto’s administration, accusing it of worsening the plight of Kenyan workers through alleged corruption, poor governance, and suppression of workers’ rights.
In a statement shared on his official Facebook page on Labour Day, May 1, Dr. Kinity said Kenyan workers were marking the annual global celebration “with tears of suffering and agony” instead of joy, blaming the country’s leadership for what he termed as rampant looting of public resources and declining living standards.
“Labour Day is a global celebration of working people honoring the social and economic achievements of workers while advocating for fair wages, safe conditions, and reasonable hours. Unfortunately, Kenyan workers are celebrating with tears of suffering and agony caused by their leaders through the looting of public funds,” Kinity stated.
He argued that widespread corruption has negatively impacted workers across all sectors, claiming that public funds meant for service delivery and economic growth continue to be misappropriated, leaving ordinary citizens to bear the burden.
According to Kinity, the minimum wage remains too low to sustain families amid the rising cost of living, while working conditions in many sectors remain poor.
“The minimum wage for all Kenyan workers is meager. The working conditions for Kenyan workers are horrible. Their freedom to negotiate grievances has been undermined,” he added.
In his strongly worded statement, Kinity also accused President Ruto of violating workers’ rights and failing to protect young Kenyans, referencing the deaths and abductions of Gen Z protesters witnessed in recent months.
“Those employed are crying. Their children, Gen Z, are killed like chicken and others abducted,” he claimed.
Kinity extended his criticism beyond salaried employees, saying the economic hardship has also affected private employers, farmers, traders, and foreign investors.
“The private employers are crying, the farmers are crying, the business community is crying, and foreign investors have already left Kenya and relocated elsewhere. There is no peace in Kenya anymore,” he stated.
He further launched a scathing attack on Parliament, describing the current legislature as “a den of thieves” focused on looting public funds and rubber-stamping government decisions.
Kinity questioned the sustainability of Kenya’s economy, alleging that the country is losing KSh4 billion daily through corruption, amounting to KSh1.464 trillion annually.
“Where is Kenya expected to go with continued loss of KSh4 billion every day, KSh1.464 trillion annually?” he posed.
The activist did not spare the labour movement, accusing Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli of abandoning Kenyan workers and aligning himself too closely with the government.
“The once vibrant trade unionist that I knew in the 90s has become a William Ruto boot licker. Francis Atwoli has totally failed Kenyan workers,” Kinity alleged.
He called on workers to use Labour Day as a platform to push for political change, urging them to petition President Ruto’s continued stay in office and demand his resignation.
“Kenyan workers should use Labour Day to petition William Ruto’s stay in power and hence demand his resignation,” he concluded.
Dr. Kinity signed off the message as Counselor and Human Rights Activist, Chairman of Kikimo Foundation for Corruption and Poverty Eradication, and former Secretary General of the Kenya Civil Servants Union.
The full statement was shared on his Facebook page and can be accessed here:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HxAtWpu8k
With a knack for captivating storytelling, Amos Lumbasi has a talent for crafting narratives that resonate with readers. He combines meticulous research with a captivating writing style to create articles that are both informative and enjoyable to read.