COTU to Hold Nationwide Protests Over Fuel Price Hike
The Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) has criticized the government’s recent tax increases on Kenyan employees.
In a press conference conducted on Saturday, the independent organization urged the government to remove a portion of the new taxes imposed on the employees.
The union, headed by COTU Deputy Secretary General Benson Okwaro, accused the government of burdening Kenyans by increasing fuel prices and increasing taxes on Kenyan workers.
“Kenyans have not been able to get a salary increase be it in the public sector or private sector but instead of finding a way of cautioning members, the government is going around and adding taxes which has resulted in the hiked cost of living,” noted the COTU deputy Secretary General.
The union demanded a 50 percent wage increase for all employees across the nation to help them cope with the current standard of living.
“Your Excellency, these taxes are not helping us at all. What we are saying is that we want a general wage increase. SRC suspended it immediately and it is not helping. It does not make any sense,” lamented Okwaro.
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Okwaro stated to PoliticalPulseChat that the petition was intended to defend Kenyan workers from the Kenya Kwanza Government’s excessive taxation.
“Unless the government finds a way to cushion workers, we might be forced to take industrial action. The Kenyan worker is suffering as we are the ones absorbing the high cost of living.,” argued Okwaro.
The predicament arises against the backdrop of a recent historic increase in fuel prices, an event that has infuriated various stakeholders and legislators.
In addition, the organization reiterated that the protests were not intended to incite a rivalry with the government, refuting the lawsuit’s allegations.
“The rumors are false, our organization has not tabled any legal proceedings against the government, we just wanted to tell the government to lower taxation on the Kenyan workers.” noted the COTU official.
COTU wants the government to take urgent action to save the country from plunging into an economic crisis.
COTU to Hold Nationwide Protests Over Fuel Price Hike