State gives in to Cotu demand in NSSF row

Labour cabinet secretary Kazungu Kambi. He has ceded ground on some of the demands of workers unions to be allowed to sit on the board of directors of the National Social security Fund.PHOT/PHOEBE OKALL/FILE 

In Summary
Cotu’s proposal that no board meetings should be held without its representation had also been thrown out by the government, setting up a new battlefront between the labour union and Mr Kambi.

 By Nation Reporter
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Labour Cabinet Secretary Kazungu Kambi has ceded ground on some of the demands of workers unions to be allowed to sit on the board of directors of the National Social security Fund.

This is seen as a move to close ranks with the Central Organisation of Trade Unions, which had protested the lack of union representation in the board of the national pension fund through the amended NSSF Bill, arguing it went against international labour laws.

Mr Kambi said the government had rejected the inclusion of the name “Cotu” in the Bill, and instead replaced it with the union with the highest representation.

“We have agreed to have only the union will the highest representation sit in the NSSF board of trustees, and the name Cotu would not be included in the Bill,” he said.

Cotu’s proposal that no board meetings should be held without its representation had also been thrown out by the government, setting up a new battlefront between the labour union and Mr Kambi.

“We have agreed all directors are equal and none will be given special treatment,” he said.

Earlier, Cotu secretary general Mr Francis Atwoli had criticised the government’s push to amend the NSSF Bill to lock out Cotu and the Federation of Kenya Employers from the board of directors, saying the government was allowing cartels to penetrate the management of the fund.