CPM-K Condemns Arrest of Warehouse Workers’ Leaders, Calls It a War on Labour
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By John Kariuki
Mombasa, Kenya – July 25, 2025:
The Communist Party Marxist–Kenya (CPM-K) has issued a scathing condemnation of the recent arrest and detention of four leaders spearheading the ongoing warehouse workers’ strike in Mombasa, terming it a blatant assault on the fundamental rights of workers.
Those detained include Comrade Baraza Wechuli, Secretary of the Warehouse Workers’ Committee; Mr. Obwonyo, Disputes Officer of the Kenya Shipping, Logistics and Warehouse Workers Union; committee member Mr. Julius Owino; and one unidentified worker.
CPM-K Secretary General Booker Omole decried the arrests as an orchestrated move to suppress organised labour and derail a lawful industrial action.
“This is not about enforcing law and order; this is class warfare. The state is using its machinery to intimidate and silence workers fighting for fair wages and dignified working conditions,” said Omole.
He further criticised the authorities’ decision to deny the four bail, calling it a “bureaucratic tactic designed to prolong unlawful detention and crush the workers’ morale.”
The strike, now in its fifth day, has crippled operations in Shimanzi and Changamwe, with workers demanding improved pay, safer working environments, and protection of their right to unionise.
Booker Omole warned that the arrests signal a dangerous escalation in state hostility towards labour movements, adding that “this aggression will inflame rather than resolve the standoff.”
Call for Solidarity and Resistance
The CPM-K leader called for the immediate and unconditional release of the arrested leaders and urged all progressive forces—trade unions, civil society organisations, and international labour allies—to rally behind the striking workers.
“This is a moment for mass mobilisation and unity. Labour rights are not a privilege—they are non-negotiable. We will not allow the state to criminalise legitimate struggles,” Omole asserted.
He also cautioned that the continued crackdown on labour rights could lead to broader national unrest, as more workers and unions rise in defiance.
The arrests have sparked heated national debate, with many questioning the government’s commitment to upholding constitutional protections for workers.
As the strike continues to disrupt port and warehouse logistics in Kenya’s coastal city, all eyes remain on the government’s next move—and whether justice and dignity for workers will prevail.
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