COTU-K Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has urged workers at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) to close ranks, warning that divisions could weaken their ability to defend their rights and improve their welfare.
Atwoli made the remarks on Monday, September 28, 2026, during a phone call with the Nairobi Water Board, senior management and trade union representatives.
He stressed the importance of unity among workers while encouraging continued cooperation with the company’s management.
Atwoli said divisions could create room for other factors to undermine workers’ interests, invoking the labour movement principle that collective strength is essential in protecting employee rights.
“Our organization was, yeah, because united we stand, divided we fall. And would hence to be divided, uh, as other social factors of our always, uh, would take advantage, uh, if we are so much divided to deny us our rights,” he said.
He also praised Nairobi Water management under Martin Nang’ole, saying the company had provided support to workers and maintained an approach that was favourable to trade unions.
“You people were lucky because the management of Nairobi Water is always pro-union. They have given us maximum support,” Atwoli said.
He added that the management had personnel who understood what he described as good employer practices and international industrial relations.
Atwoli said cooperation between workers and management was part of a broader responsibility that could allow employees to address their affairs without division.
“So as we associate with them, which is also, which is also that bigger picture of responsibility that we are very responsible, we can be able to have our affairs without hesitation or division,” he said.
Atwoli puts worker unity at centre of welfare debate
The COTU-K boss linked workplace unity to the broader economic welfare of workers, arguing that disunity could make it harder for employees to confront poverty.
“And always as you’re aware, an injury to one is an injury to all,” Atwoli said.
He identified poverty as the challenge that workers should collectively seek to confront.
“And the injury that we are always worried of is poverty. And poverty is created by disunity,” he said.
Atwoli further argued that workers whose earnings do not translate into meaningful economic security face wider social challenges.
“Poverty everywhere constitutes danger everywhere, because if you are working and always your pockets are empty, you are a doer, and nobody wants to be associated to be associated with a poor person,” he said.
He called on workers to demonstrate unity by supporting the company and improving their performance in their respective areas of work.
“So I would urge partners and sisters to be very united to show management that we are willing to give our support that we can also give them support by doubling our efforts in our various places of work,” Atwoli said.
He said stronger unity and hard work could enable both employees and management to benefit from their relationship.
“…so that they can be able to benefit out of our unity and hard work,” he added.
Atwoli also pointed to the role of the two unions at Nairobi Water, saying they could contribute to strengthening modern industrial relations practices.
“I would have tried to talk more and more if I wish if I was there, but I’m lucky, we have the two unions also to look into ways of hammering and you are a issues related to the applications of modern industrial relations practice,” he said.
He said the approach was important for building greater unity and togetherness among workers in Kenya’s water sector.
“…which is important to you people, and it is an eye opener for your unity and togetherness in the struggle for working men and women in our country in that particular water sector,” Atwoli said.
