Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary general, Francis Atwoli has travelled to the United Kingdom.
Atwoli left the country over the weekend in the company of his wife, journalist Mary Kilobi.
Photos of the couple aboard a business class flight to the UK were shared online by the journalist.
Without delving into the details of the trip, Kilobi simply captioned the photos: “When international duty calls”.
The trade unionist who was a prominent figure in the Raila Odinga campaigns left the country at a time when preparations for president-elect William Ruto’s swearing in is at top gear.
Atwoli was on the frontline opposing Ruto’s bid, teaming up with other Azimio politicians to mount a spirited campaign for Odinga.
Ruto won the contest, with Azimio challenging his win at the Supreme Court.
The seven-judge bench threw out the petition, upholding Ruto’s win and subsequent declaration as the president-elect, paving the way for his inauguration planned for Tuesday, 13 September.
The COTU boss congratulated the president-elect for outsmarting Azimio to emerge victorious.
“Mungu mnapanda yenu na yeye anapanda yake. Sisi tulienda kulala tukijua tumeshinda. Kumbe sisi tunafanya siasa ambayo haina ujuzi. Na William Ruto alikuwa na political skills and political smartness. He outsmarted Azimio,” Atwoli said at a function in Western Kenya on Friday, September 9.
He urged the nation to move on and embrace a Ruto presidency as he is now the next president of Kenya, adding that it was the will of God that he (Ruto) ascended to power.
“Sasa sisi baba yetu ni William Ruto. Amechukua mama na baba na ni lazima tumkubali ndio nchi ya Kenya iendelee,” Atwoli stated.
“Ruto pia alitembea na waluhya. Yuko na Musalia Mudavadi, Moses Wetangula na Ababu Namwamba. Kwa hivyo sisi tutakubali kwa ajili hiyo ilikuwa matakwa ya Mungu,” Atwoli said.
