The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Kenya) has criticised leaders opposed to the establishment of the National Infrastructure Fund and Sovereign Wealth Fund, saying such resistance threatens Kenya’s long-term economic transformation.
In a statement, COTU (K) Secretary General Francis Atwoli said leaders who are against the two funds are actively standing in the way of the country’s future and undermining efforts aimed at building a resilient and inclusive economy.
He said the critics are driven by fear of change, lack of exposure and an absence of long-term vision.
“Those opposed to the establishment of the National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund are actively standing in the way of Kenya’s future,” Atwoli said.
“They profess fear of change, lack of exposure and a
complete absence of vision.”
Atwoli said Kenyan workers would not allow themselves to be “held hostage by short-term thinking and reactionary politics” that undermine the welfare of workers and the broader economic development of the country.
He stressed that organised labour firmly supports reforms that promise sustainable growth, job creation and improved living standards.
“As Kenyan workers, we refuse to be held hostage by short-term thinking and reactionary politics meant to undermine the welfare of the Kenyan workers and the economic development of our beloved country,” he added.
The COTU (K) boss threw his weight behind President William Ruto, praising him for what he described as bold and decisive leadership in pushing for transformative economic reforms.
According to Atwoli, the President has demonstrated clarity of thought and ambition unmatched since independence.
“Kenyan workers stand firmly behind President Ruto for demonstrating boldness, clarity of thought, and vision in charting a new development path for our country,” he said.
“Indeed, since independence, no Kenyan leader has pursued transformation with this level of decisiveness and ambition.”
Atwoli argued that if similar bold choices had been made in earlier years, Kenya would today be a very different society.
He urged critics of the proposed funds to look beyond Kenya’s borders for lessons, citing countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, where long-term infrastructure planning and sovereign investment vehicles laid the foundation for industrialisation, job creation and rising living standards.
Closer to home, Atwoli invited sceptics to visit towns such as Kisumu, Eldoret and Kakamega to witness the impact of affordable housing and modern infrastructure projects already underway.
He said such initiatives are improving the quality of life for workers, restoring dignity and transforming urban landscapes.
While backing the proposals, Atwoli called on Ruto to maintain a keen and uncompromising eye on governance, transparency and management of the funds.
He stressed that accountability would be critical to ensuring that every shilling collected serves its intended purpose and delivers real value to Kenyans.
Citing history, Atwoli noted that meaningful progress is often driven by leaders initially labelled unreasonable, pointing to figures such as Winston Churchill and Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who faced ridicule while pursuing transformative agendas.
He called on professionals across all sectors, including economists, engineers, planners, accountants and lawyers, to rise above cynicism and support the national effort.
