Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary General Francis Atwoli. [Photo|Cotu]The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu), has warned that the alleged crackdown on a section of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that are perceived to be critical of the government, is retrogressive and aimed at reversing the democratic gains that the country has made since the promulgation of the new Constitution of 2010.Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli, said Kenyans should be allowed to express themselves freely and their views on national topical issues.Citing the order by the NGO Coordination Board to shutdown Key Empowerment Foundation, KHRC and AfriCOG, Atwoli said the Board's behaviour attests to an organisation hell-bent on oppressing the Constitutional right and cast aspersions on the commitment by the government to live up to the letter and spirit of the Constitution.He warned that the reasons given by the NGO Board to deregister the three organisations were "totally unacceptable and unjustifiable to warrant their deregistration and remains a key threat to our freedom of speech and expression as cited in our Constitution.""As the umbrella workers’ body in the country, Cotu remains concern and disturbed by this rogue behavior being exhibited by the NGO Coordinating Board and its Executive Director since we don’t know which organisation will now be next and this smear provocative campaign against legally registered NGOs should be stopped or made to stop forthwith," said Atwoli.In a statement, Wednesday, Cotu called on the president not to allow "such retrogressive acts to take place under his leadership as the country’s Chief Executive."

Share news tips with us here at Hivisasa