Nairobi, Kenya, Jan 17 — Veteran trade unionist Francis Atwoli has been re-appointed unopposed as General Secretary of the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU), securing another five-year term as he positions himself to retain the top seat at the national labour body.
The re-appointment was confirmed during KPAWU’s Quinquennial Conference held at the Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu. The outcome gives Atwoli a renewed mandate at the sectoral level ahead of his bid for a sixth term as Secretary General of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Kenya) (COTU-K).
Speaking after the conference, Atwoli thanked union members for the unanimous endorsement, describing it as a strong vote of confidence in his leadership and vision for workers’ welfare. He said the renewed mandate strengthens his resolve to continue advocating for improved conditions and protections for workers across Kenya’s agricultural and plantation sectors.
KPAWU is the country’s primary union representing workers in tea, coffee, flower farms, and other plantation-based industries. As an affiliate of COTU-K, the union plays a central role in shaping labour policy discussions and collective bargaining frameworks within Kenya’s organised labour movement.
Atwoli’s unopposed re-appointment comes against the backdrop of broader national endorsements. On January 6, secretary generals from 42 COTU-affiliated unions unanimously backed him to retain the COTU-K leadership, clearing the way for his sixth term bid at the apex labour organisation.
Beyond Kenya, Atwoli continues to wield influence within international labour circles. In June 2025, he was unanimously re-elected as Deputy President of the Commonwealth Trade Union Group (CTUG), a platform bringing together trade union centres from more than 40 Commonwealth countries.
As preparations for the COTU-K leadership contest gather pace, Atwoli said his focus remains on advancing workers’ rights, strengthening union unity, and ensuring Kenyan labour interests are effectively represented both locally and globally.
