Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary General Francis Atwoli has cautioned politicians from Western Kenya against abandoning their current parties and defecting to the yet-to-be-unveiled Jubilee Alliance Party.
Mr Atwoli claimed that some politicians have literally been “bought” to defect by people who were not interested in improving the lives of members of the community.
Leaders from Western region have recently shown signs that they will be abandoning the Raila-Odinga led opposition alliance Cord for other political outfits.
“Leaders from western should not allow themselves to fall victim to Jubilee’s intrigues, especially being brainwashed with a few million shillings,” Atwoli said while addressing a consultative forum of Trade Union leaders at the Tom Mboya Labor College in Kisumu.
The experienced trade unionist cautioned that the Jubilee Alliance was keen to use all means to win the support of the heavily populated Western region.
Their counterparts from Jubilee lead by President Uhuru have asked them to retreat to the ruling coalition that is yet to transform itself into a full-fledged party.
“What these people are doing is trying to recruit defections or attract insurgents into their group,” Atwoli added.
He spoke against the backdrop of a growing rebellion by a section of the Orange Democratic Movement Members of Parliament from the region and sustained forays by the Jubilee leadership.
Cotu held a consultative forum of trade union leaders at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu on July 25, 2016.