Labour CS Alfred Mutua names Francis Atwoli, Kenneth Odire and Richard Mativu Musau to the National Board for Social Protection.
Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has appointed Francis Atwoli to Kenya’s social protection board. The Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) secretary-general will serve a three-year term.
Mutua also appointed Kenneth Odire and Richard Mativu Musau to the National Board for Social Protection. Gazette Notice No. 16730, dated October 23, 2026, lists all three appointments.
Social protection board terms take effect
The notice, which Mutua signed, sets October 23, 2026, as the start of the three-year terms. All three members therefore share the same commencement date.
Mutua made the appointments under Section 10(f) of the Social Protection Act, 2025. That provision sets out the legal basis for constituting the board.
Atwoli brings trade union background
Atwoli heads COTU and is among Kenya’s most prominent trade union leaders. He has represented workers in discussions on labour rights, wages and social protection.
His appointment now places him on the board responsible for social protection matters under the 2025 law. The appointments also come amid government efforts to strengthen social protection systems and address vulnerable groups’ needs.
However, the gazette notice does not specify individual responsibilities for Atwoli, Odire or Musau. It also gives no details about the board’s immediate priorities.
