Atwoli Urges Dialogue Between President Uhuru and Raila to Save the Country

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary general Francis Atwoli has asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to reach out to opposition leader Raila Odinga for dialogue to end tension and violence witnessed in the country for the last few days.

“We cannot be fighting forever while we have problems like unemployment [that] need urgent attention,” he said.

“I am not saying that Raila should concede. He has a right to reject the results but Kenyans should not suffer from police brutality because of exercising their democratic right to protest peacefully,” he said.

Atwoli condemned the use of excessive force by police to quell protesting Nasa supporters, and urged police to allow those protesting do so peacefully. “Those who have died are workers of this country and it pains us. All political leaders must embrace peace as every election cannot be followed by violence,” he said.

“From tomorrow (Monday) we want to see Kenyans going about their businesses without intimidation and harassment from police,” he said. “We don’t want to see workers locked up in their houses [unable] go to work,” he said.