'Tutam': The shame of turning national holiday into campaign rally

The 61st Labour Day celebrations preceded over by President William Ruto was characterised by political mobilisation as COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli dropped the push for workers welfare and turned the fete into a political rally in support of Ruto’s 2027 re-election.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi also joined the fray, calling on the region to shore up its numbers in the voter registration and ensure a “tu-tam” victory for President Ruto.

Their utterances and the crowd donning the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party colours betrayed the shameless nature of leaders who would go to any lengths for political survival.

Atwoli, speaking before a packed audience at Chavakali High School Grounds in Vihiga County, appeared to shift focus from workers’ grievances to political mobilisation, repeatedly praising the President’s administration and calling for unity behind the Kenya Kwanza government.

He would even switch from English to the local dialect pleading with the locals to support Ruto’s re-election.

“I want to sit down, but because I am home and I am an elder, let me tell you something… All your leaders are here, yet some blind fellas are asking which road we are supposed to take,” Atwoli said in Kinyore.

“The only place you can hang on is in the government…, we can present our petitions and needs while in government and in so doing, we stand a better chance of ascending to the presidency,” he said.

Atwoli said the Luhya nation currently boasts four CS’s, over 10 PSs and parastatal leaderships. “For us, we have ‘pawa’ that our in-laws are seeking. Two-tam, two-tam, two-tam…..,” he shouted amid cheers from the crowd.

Atwoli said workers are, however, concerned about the current charged political temperatures, saying IEBC must rise to the occasion to control the situation.

“We are calling for a stop to the current political incitement by the self-proclaimed opposition leaders. They must be tamed by the law because while the president is busy trying to develop the country, they are themselves busy trying to muddy the progress,” he said.

He added, “The President has achieved many things. He is a bold President, and he is the only one who has implemented what many Presidents failed or feared to implement, such as the affordable housing program that has changed the face of the country and employed many people, besides the proposed construction of the Lironi–Mau Summit Road and extension of the Standard Gauge Railway.”

He argued that ongoing government projects are creating jobs and stimulating economic growth, urging workers to support continuity in leadership to ensure completion of development agendas.

However, the speech drew mixed reactions, with some attendees questioning the shift from labour issues to political endorsement. Critics argued that the Labour Day platform should have focused on rising living costs, taxation concerns, and demands for better wages among Kenyan workers.

Atwoli has in the past been a strong political ally of President Ruto, often defending the administration and urging calm during periods of labour unrest.

His latest remarks, however, have further cemented his public alignment with the President ahead of the 2027 elections. PCS Mudavadi, on his part, was adamant that the Western region should rally behind President Ruto’s bid for a second term.

“We showed you the way and who to vote for during the previous elections and now Ruto is the President. The road is still the same come 2027. Let us not have any doubt and be sure that it is two term for President Ruto,” he said.

“What I want us to talk about now is the margin with which we are going to ensure the two-term Presidency. We do not want a tu-tam victory that can be challenged using a court petition. We want a victory with a resounding majority,” added Mudavadi.

He went on to urge the people in the region to embark on the continuous voter registration exercise to increase their numbers ahead of the 2027 polls. “When I look at the figures of voters in this region, the truth is that they went slow in registering. We must now increase our numbers so we speak even louder and more effectively,” he said.

Political observers noted that his statements are likely to spark debate within the labour movement, especially among workers who expected stronger advocacy on employment conditions and salary concerns during the national celebrations.

Despite the criticism, Atwoli maintained that his position was informed by what he described as practical political realities, insisting that leadership choices must be based on stability, access to resources, and continuity of development. The Labour Day celebrations brought together government officials, trade union leaders, and workers from various sectors, with speeches touching on labour reforms, economic recovery, and employment creation. 

Additional reporting by Mary Imenza