Raila’s grand plan to make strikes,demonstrations dead end in Kenya

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Industrial strikes should be used as the last means of solving labour disputes, African Union (AU) Special Envoy for Infrastructure Raila Odinga has said.

Speaking at a Pan African forum for Trade Unions in Nairobi on Wednesday,  he called on trade unions, employers and workers to embrace dialogue to resolve labour disputes.

“There is need for cooperation and dialogue at all times between authorities, employers and workers’ unions, to avert the negative outcome Kenyans bear whenever the three entities disagree,” said Raila.

He said in an ideal situation, the balance of power between the country’s employers and unions, none should hold the other to ransom, but calls for reasoning together. 

“Pupils, for instance, always need to remain in classrooms that have teachers while in health facilities, patients need to access healthcare services despite the situation,” Raila said during the official opening ceremony of the 30th Pan African Trade Union Forum (Panaf) symposium at a Nairobi hotel.

Attended by among others, Education Cabinet secretary Amina Mohamed; Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary general, Francis Atwoli, Siaya Senator, James Orengo and Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) secretary general Wilson Sossion, the three-day forum seeks to highlight the importance of quality education for all in Africa’s development.

He said despite supporting trade unions to be allowed to use their varied mechanisms in negotiations to ensure that their views are considered, he cautioned that this should be done in ways that do not affect other citizens. “Like a bullet in a gun; it is only considered a weapon while still inside the gun, but when fired, the bullet is no longer a weapon, especially if it was fired untimely,” said Raila.

The nature of trade unions from time immemorial, he said, has always embraced the idea that workers need protection and hence require strong unions to protect them.

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