COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli and City lawyer Ahmednasir Abdulalahi have accused each other of being corrupt in a vicious Twitter bust-up.
Atwoli accused Ahmednasir of midwifing corruption and impunity, adding that lawyers who abet graft are part of the problem Kenyans grapple with.
“Some of the problems Kenyans face are because of lawyers like Ahmednasir who midwife corruption and impunity,” said Atwoli in a Friday, May 28 post.
He claimed the lawyer started disliking him after he [Atwoli] stopped him from accessing illegal pay in some deal.
“My troubles with Ahmednasir began when I stopped his illegal deal. I will always defend workers. I can’t do such deals,” he added.
Majority of the problems Kenya is facing is because of lawyers like @ahmednasirlaw who midwife corruption and impunity. My troubles with Ahmednasir began when I stopped him from accessing an illegal pay at NBK. I will always defend workers. I can't do deals with swindlers. pic.twitter.com/GvR2jVGVbv
— Francis Atwoli NOM (DZA), CBS, EBS, MBS. (@AtwoliDza) May 28, 2021
Ahmednasir also called for the removal of Atwoli from his COTU position over what he described as unexplained wealth and assets.
“The removal from office and prosecution for unexplained wealth and assets of Atwoli must be a top priority for any government that comes to power in August 2022.”
Atwoli, however, said unlike the lawyer, he was an honest man who worked hard for his assets.
“My record speaks for itself. I am a very honest man, I work hard, I never engage in corrupt dealings, I speak my mind and I am not a billionaire,” said the COTU boss.
Trouble started after Ahmednasir, in an earlier tweet, castigated the Nairobi County government for naming a street after the trade unionist, saying it sent a wrong signal to suffering workers.
— Francis Atwoli NOM (DZA), CBS, EBS, MBS. (@AtwoliDza) May 28, 2021
He accused Atwoli of having abandoned workers to languish in poverty as he dined with the high and mighty at their expense.
Atwoli also dismissed as fake reports that the signpost at the road named after him had been removed.
Atwoli honoured
Nairobi County Government on Thursday renamed Mandera Road in Kileleshwa after Atwoli in honour of the veteran unionist.
“This road has been renamed after my good friend and brother bwana Francis Atwoli in recognition of his selfless contribution and agitating for the rights of Kenyan workers in the last 54 years,” said Deputy Governor Anne Kananu.
Atwoli thanked Kananu’s leadership for recognising his role in the trade movement and further reaffirmed his commitment to addressing the plight of Kenyan workers.
“I want to thank the leadership of Nairobi under Anne Kananu, for this great honour and recognition of services to the Government of the day, the community and workers at large. We will continue offering our unwavering support to the leadership of the county,” he stated.
Atwoli has now joined the list of other prominent Kenyans such as Kenneth Matiba who had Accra Road renamed after him in March 2021, Garissa Senator Yussuf Haji who had Eastleigh’s First Avenue renamed after him; the late football legend Joe Kadenge who had Kapiti Crescent Road renamed after him by the county Assembly earlier this year.
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