The Central Organization of Trade Unions-Kenya (COTU-K) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has singled out several institutions for allegedly failing to address the country's dire situation.
During a public address on Wednesday, Atwoli lamented the ever-increasing challenges that Kenyan workers face while the institutions tasked with resolving their issues remained silent.
While outlining the significant challenges confronting Kenyan workers, Atwoli stated that the government should devise a suitable solution to reduce the high cost of living, soaring debt, high unemployment and taxation, profoundly ingrained corruption, and other factors impeding the country's development.
As a result, he chastised the National Treasury, the Directorate of Debt Management, and the Directorate of Budget, Fiscal, and Economic Affairs for failing to control the country's ballooning debt, high living costs, and depreciating Kenyan shilling.
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"Where is the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) when corruption is the order of the day in Kenya? " he posed.
"Where is the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection when many Kenyans remain unemployed and redundancy becomes the order of the day in Kenya?"
He believes that the institutions above and other public institutions should be held accountable if they fail to deliver on their mandates, with those who cannot do so being disbanded.
Atwoli proposed a five-point strategy the commission believes will help revive the country's ailing economy.
The COTU CEO urged the government to incorporate effective and efficient stakeholder engagement throughout the development process to promote value creation and innovation.
"In fact, stakeholder engagement is an effective governance tool as it promotes trust and control by the people as decisions come from them," he said.
He also suggested developing, restoring, and maintaining a solid investor confidence strategy, which he believes will attract more investors to the country and, as a result, boost the economy in all sectors.
Atwoli also urged the government to create and support strong, effective, inclusive institutions to help the country achieve its Vision 2030.
He also emphasized the importance of incorporating research into the entire development process, which he believes should involve both public and private institutions in monitoring and evaluating the long-term avenues that will ensure the economy's stability.
Finally, the firebrand advised the government to adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, which he claims has plagued the nation for the past six decades.
