Transparency Storm Hits COTU Elections as Petition Challenges Legality and Secrecy
A fresh legal battle is looming over the leadership of Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Kenya following a constitutional petition that raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and the legality of its recent electoral process. The petition, filed by Mtetezi – a grassroots economic justice movement – questions both the conduct of the March 2026 COTU Delegates Conference in Kisumu and the union’s failure to disclose key governance and financial records. At the heart of the dispute is an information request submitted on November 4, 2025, seeking audited financial statements from 2021 to 2024, alongside governance documents and election preparation materials. The request, made under Article 35 of the Constitution and the Access to Information Act, allegedly went unanswered, with no acknowledgment or explanation provided within the legally mandated timelines. According to the petitioners, the lack of transparency carried into the March 2026 delegates...