Central Organisation of Trade Unions-Kenya (COTU-K) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli announced on Friday, February 28, that he will not be taking legal action against Martha Karua over her use of the color purple for the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), her newly launched political party.
In a media interview, Atwoli explained that while purple is also COTU-K’s national color, Karua’s decision to adopt it for her party would not affect the trade union.
He emphasized that trade unions are larger than political parties and that filing a lawsuit would inadvertently increase Karua’s visibility and popularity, giving her free media coverage.
“At first, we had considered taking legal action, but after careful consideration, we realized that pursuing this would only elevate Martha Karua and make her appear as a significant figure in Kenyan politics,” Atwoli said.
“COTU is bigger than all political parties because we are represented both locally and internationally,” he added.
Atwoli’s remarks came a day after Karua launched PLP in a grand ceremony at the party’s Nairobi headquarters, which attracted prominent political figures such as former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, and Democratic Alliance Party-Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa.
The event marked a rebranding from Karua’s previous leadership of the National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya (NARC), which she had helmed since 2009.
The rebrand saw the party adopt new colors lilac, white, and purple replacing its previous red, white, and green palette.
Additionally, the party’s symbol changed from a rose to a purple rose, and its slogan was updated from “One Kenya, One Nation, One People” to “Unite, Liberate.”
The rebranding sparked online discussion, with many pointing out the similarity between the purple color of PLP and COTU-K’s traditional color.
While COTU has historically associated itself with the color purple, there is no public record indicating that the union has officially trademarked it.
However, the union has previously protected its association with the color, notably in 2016 when it threatened legal action against Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua for using purple during the launch of his Maendeleo Chap Chap movement.
Although a trade union in Kenya can pursue legal action against a political party for using similar colors, success in such a case would depend on factors like intellectual property rights, public confusion, and legal claims. Under Kenya’s Trademarks Act, colors can be limited to specific trademarks, but a color must have acquired distinctiveness to be eligible for trademark protection.
Karua explained that her decision to rebrand PLP was part of a broader strategy to appeal to the Generation Z demographic, which she believes will play a crucial role in the 2027 general elections.
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