Labour Day is meant to honour the dignity of work and the resilience of those who keep this country moving. But for many Kenyan workers, celebration on May 1 felt out of place.
Wages have stagnated while the cost of living continues to rise sharply. Payslips are shrinking under the weight of new taxes. Job cuts in both the public and private sectors have left thousands uncertain about their future.
Even essential services such as education, healthcare and transport offer little relief. “Free” education still demands unofficial fees and public hospitals are overwhelmed and under-resourced.
Yet despite these pressures, workers remain the backbone of this nation. Teachers, drivers, farmers, factory workers, cleaners, nurses: they show up every day. That is worth honouring.
Unfortunately, their voices are too often drowned out. The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu), once a proud defender of worker rights, has grown too comfortable in government corridors. The result is silence where there should be advocacy.
But all is not lost. Change is possible – and urgently needed. The government must prioritise policies that protect and uplift workers, not burden them further. Unions must return to their core mission. And all of us must demand a more just, humane economy.
This Labour Day should be a moment of reflection, not ritual. A moment to commit, not just to praise workers, but to stand with them in their pursuit of dignity, fairness and opportunity. Because without the worker, there is no nation.
HISTORICAL QUOTE
History is a powerful teacher, we must learn from its lessons.
William Camden was an English historian, antiquary and author born on May 2, 1551, in London, England
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