The Central Organisation of Trade Unions-Kenya (COTU-K) has urged Members of Parliament to support criticism of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) with evidence, warning against statements that could undermine workers’ confidence in their retirement savings.
In a statement, the Union said concerns about the management of public institutions should be addressed through established accountability mechanisms rather than unsubstantiated allegations.
The statement followed remarks by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, who challenged NSSF management to address alleged bribery involving staff and decentralise services to county and sub-county levels.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Ichung’wah said retirees from remote counties, including Marsabit and Mandera, should not be forced to travel to Nairobi to access their retirement benefits.
“I want to ask the management at NSSF to shape up or ship out,” he said, insisting that the Fund’s leadership must remain accountable to Parliament.
Ichung’wah also called on senior NSSF officials to take responsibility for addressing alleged misconduct instead of leaving the burden to junior employees.
However, COTU-K maintained that while parliamentary oversight is necessary, claims of wrongdoing should be supported by verifiable information.
The union said it had not received reports from its members or affiliated unions alleging that contributors had been denied benefits in connection with the concerns raised during the parliamentary proceedings.
It challenged anyone making such claims to identify the affected contributors and provide evidence that would allow the allegations to be investigated.
COTU-K also defended NSSF’s recent performance, citing an increase in the Fund’s assets from KSh 312 billion to KSh 814 billion over three years.
The union further pointed to what it described as double-digit investment returns, two consecutive years of clean audit opinions and a reduction in average benefit-processing time from approximately 87 days to seven days.
On service delivery, COTU-K noted that NSSF operates 64 branches across the country but encouraged further efforts to bring services closer to contributors, particularly those living far from major urban centres.
The union also urged Parliament to support initiatives aimed at expanding retirement savings, including the Haba na Haba savings product, which seeks to encourage saving among workers with irregular or modest incomes.
COTU-K called on political leaders to balance scrutiny with constructive engagement, arguing that accountability should go hand in hand with efforts to strengthen the retirement savings system.
It maintained that concerns about alleged misconduct must be investigated and addressed while ensuring that public debate does not discourage workers from
