Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) secretary general Francis Atwoli has challenged MPs to provide evidence for allegations that National Social Security Fund (NSSF) staff are demanding bribes from retirees seeking their pension benefits.
Atwoli said the union had not received complaints from its contributing members or any of its 47 affiliated trade unions about the alleged denial of benefits or demands for cash by NSSF officers.
“It is, therefore, unacceptable for politicians to make generalised accusations about claims of demand of cash from retirees by officers at NSSF without presenting evidence, identifying the affected contributors, or initiating the appropriate processes to ensure accountability,” he said in a statement.
His remarks follow accusations by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and other MPs during debate on the Public Service Superannuation Scheme (Amendment) Bill on October 15.
Ichung’wah accused NSSF officials of demanding bribes from elderly citizens before releasing their pension savings, saying retirees should not endure unnecessary suffering after years of service.
He also faulted the fund’s management for bureaucratic delays and alleged that retirees from remote counties, including Mandera and Marsabit, were being forced to travel to Nairobi to access their benefits.
"People cannot be sacrificing their entire productive life working, then suffer in old age," the Kikuyu MP said.
"These are Kenyans who have dedicated years of service to our nation and accessing their hard-earned pension should never be a painstaking process."
Atwoli, whose union represents workers on the NSSF Board of Trustees, said the allegations risked undermining confidence in an institution responsible for safeguarding workers’ retirement savings.
“The consequences of such statements extend far beyond the reputation of NSSF management as they risk discouraging workers and employers from complying with their statutory contribution obligations, weakening confidence among voluntary contributors and undermining the country's long-term social protection objectives,” he said.
He defended the fund’s recent performance, saying the accusations disregarded improvements in its financial position, investment returns and accountability.
“What makes the parliamentary attacks even more unfortunate is that they completely disregard the remarkable transformation that NSSF has undergone over the past three years,” Atwoli said.
He noted that the fund’s portfolio had grown from approximately Sh312 billion to Sh814 billion over the past three years, putting it on course to become a trillion-shilling institution.
He said NSSF had also recorded investment returns of approximately 11 per cent in the 2023/2024 financial year and 17 per cent in 2024/2025, while receiving clean audit opinions from the Office of the Auditor General for two consecutive years.
Atwoli further disputed claims that retirees had to travel to Nairobi to lodge claims, saying NSSF had 64 branches across the country where members could seek assistance, make inquiries and access services.
He said the fund had reduced the average benefits processing period from about 87 days to seven days, adding that Cotu was engaging its management to bring the turnaround time down to one day.
While affirming Parliament’s oversight role, Atwoli warned against what he termed reckless public pronouncements that could damage the institution.
“We wish to emphasise that Cotu (K) is not asking Parliament to abandon its oversight responsibilities, but on the contrary, we believe that oversight must not become an excuse for reckless public pronouncements that undermine the very institutions Parliament is constitutionally obligated to strengthen,” he said.
Atwoli called on NSSF management and the Board of Trustees to resist intimidation and political interference, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 General Election.
“We call upon the management of NSSF and the Board of Trustees not to bow into any intimidation, blackmail or arm-twisting especially as we approach the 2027 elections,” he said.
