Kenyan trade unions are on the brink of collapse. Members are worried but determined to keep their unions on course.
To start with, Knut (Kenya National Union of Teachers) contracted a terminal ailment when Kuppet (Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers) was formed by the Moi administration to neutralise Knut's industrial and political influence that almost cost Moi reelection in 1997.
Since then, successive governments have helped build Kuppet as a punishment to Knut’s stance on teachers' rights. Knut has drastically lost members, from more than 200,000 to about 15,000 in two years. This is attributed to supremacy wars between TSC CEO Nancy Macharia and former Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion.
The clueless UKCS (Union of Kenya Civil Servants) has also been limping for decades. It is literally on its knees. It can neither bite nor bark. It is in slumberland. It can only be remembered as having barked once in 2005 when former secretary general Alphayo Nyakundi held a press conference and strongly warned the government against dismissing more than 9,000 employees who participated in a workers’ strike.
Cotu is lifeless. Other than its leader Francis Atwoli making controversial political statements, it has nothing to offer to the hundreds of thousands of its members. Members have experienced pay cuts, job losses, inconducive work environment, unfair recruitment and retention terms, non-remittance of statutory deductions, and freezing of salary increments, among other frustrations.
KNUN (Kenya National Union of Nurses) started very well but it has failed to engage counties to employ nurses on permanent and pensionable terms.
The script is the same with other unions.
Only two unions are progressively doing well: UASU (Universities Academic Staff Union) and KMPDU (Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union).
It is also encouraging to see the new Knut leadership secure an offer to have its members who have stagnated in the same job group promoted and be paid arrears in a new deal with TSC.
Maybe it is time other unions borrowed a leaf from the two progressive unions on the secret to their stability, purpose, objectives and transformation among other attributes.
These are real challenges affecting trade unions and should be addressed. Like other public institutions, financial audits must be conducted and be made public. Any misappropriation should be dealt with accordingly.
It seems long-serving unionists like Cotu’s Atwoli, KNUN's Panyako and UKCS's Odege will do better in national politics than in championing workers welfare. They must therefore not only follow in Sossion and K'Olale’s footsteps and resign, but also ensure they leave their unions in the hands of young and focused men and women to lead workers—people with integrity who will not only fight for but also protect members' rights.
Workers are crying for sincere representatives who can air their views in a considerable and persuasive way during this pandemic period. But the unions are gasping for breath. They need urgent resuscitation, failing which they will die.
