Kenyan workers could be in line for a major pay rise as unions intensify pressure for a 23 per cent wage increase.

The relief could materialise for the workers if the ongoing negotiations led by the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) succeed ahead of May 1, 2026, Labour Day celebrations.

Speaking during a COTU shop stewards’ meeting in Nairobi on Saturday, April 18, 2026, Secretary General Francis Atwoli said unions are pushing for the pay rise to cushion workers against the rising cost of living, driven largely by increases in fuel prices that have raised the cost of transport, food and other basic goods.

“If the prices of fuel and petroleum products go up, we, as workers’ representatives, are left with no option but to negotiate for better salaries. And that is what we are doing. Right now we are negotiating for a salary increase, and we are hopeful that the President will increase salaries during this year’s Labour Day,” he said.

Atwoli noted that unions are already engaging employers on salary adjustments, with some revisiting their Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) to reflect the shifting economic realities.

He urged unions currently negotiating CBAs to review terms to ensure agreed wage adjustments match the prevailing economic conditions, especially the continued rise in fuel prices.

“We have negotiated for a wage increase, and some unions are in the process of revisiting CBAs to cushion workers from the economic shocks caused by fuel prices. We are calling for a 23 per cent increase in salaries during this year’s Labour Day,” he said.

While the exact percentage for 2026 remains under negotiation, COTU has in the past pushed for significant increments, including a proposed 23.4 per cent increase in 2022.

At the same time, Atwoli called for responsible politics, warning that instability poses a threat to workers’ livelihoods.

He cautioned that political tensions could undermine economic stability, with workers, women and children bearing the brunt of any downturn.

“It is politics that builds or destroys a country. If this country goes down, it is workers, women, and children who suffer the most, and as workers, we cannot stand on the side as politics seeks to destroy the stability that protects the employment of workers,” he said.

He also urged workers to critically assess calls for protests, questioning whether such actions serve their interests.

“Every time you hear a politician calling for a protest. We as workers must ask ourselves how this helps us because we cannot be going on protest over issues that are beyond the control of the government of Kenya,” he added.

Atwoli further described rising fuel prices as a global challenge, cautioning against attempts by local leaders to politicise and localise the issue.

He linked global economic pressures to local wage demands, pointing to geopolitical tensions affecting fuel prices through critical trade routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

According to him, rising fuel costs have intensified the push by unions for better pay.

“Fuel prices affect everything. From matatu fares to food prices, petroleum costs ripple through the entire economy, and workers carry the burden. Local politicians sometimes oversimplify global crises as if they are local problems,” he said.