NAIROBI, Kenya – Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has criticized the use of purple in political branding, claiming the color was patented by the labor movement in 2008.
His remarks come just hours after veteran politician Martha Karua rebranded her party, NARC-Kenya, into the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), featuring purple, lilac, and white in its new identity.
“I don’t see where Martha is taking purple because it is known. Kenyans must know that purple is a workers’ color, so anyone trying to use it for political mileage is wasting their time,” Atwoli said.
The long-serving unionist warned that any political outfit adopting the shade would be in violation of the law, though he did not specify the legal basis for his claim.
Beyond the color dispute, Atwoli dismissed the potential impact of an emerging opposition coalition, arguing that they lacked the numbers to pose a real challenge to President William Ruto’s administration.
“I don’t want Karua and her party to appear bigger than it seems,” he added, downplaying the significance of her latest political move.
Atwoli also took the opportunity to urge Kenyans to join labor unions, arguing that collective bargaining was the best way to cushion workers from the strain of increased taxation.
