Jinxed Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) top job? Transport CS Murkomen sack Gitari as MD
Yesterday’s sacking of immediate former Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) Managing Director Alex Gitari by Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen over power outage at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has brought to the fore behind the scenes boardroom wars for the control of the lucrative government institution.
Previously, fight for the control of the revenue rich KAA have dogged the agency since the sacking of the former MD Lucy Mbugua who has since been appointed by Murkomen as the Regional Director for the Eastern and Southern African Office at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Yesterday, Murkomen announced termination of Gitari’s contract and that of General Manager Project and Engineering Services Fred Odawo.
Effectively, KAA board of directors chaired by former Soi constituency Caleb Kositany appointed Henry Ogoye as MD in an acting capacity.
“By mutual consent, the contract of Mr Alex Gitari, who has been the managing director of Kenya Airports Authority, has been terminated.” Murkomen said.
Yesterday, CS Murkomen and former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando traded barbs over Gitari’s sacking with the latter claiming that president William Ruto’s administration was hell-bent on axing Gitari.
Kabando claimed that individuals he termed as “Ruto’s” men are to blame for the mess, have not been touched.
“It was already in the books that Ruto’s UDA was craving to out KAA MD Alex Gitari. The excuse to sack him arrived last night. Rais won’t sack his men – CS Murkomen & CS Chirchir. Sacred cows uncocking whisky at KPLC, KAA. We need Ruto to succeed but he’s tribal, inept, chaotic.” Kabando posted on his Twitter handle.
In a swift rejoinder, Murkomen said the former legislator is obsessed with the ‘mtu wetu’ syndrome and ridiculed him to apply for the post.
“You are suffering from acute mtu yetu syndrome even where it is completely unnecessary. You don’t know me, I will deal with all the state departments and agencies under me professionally and I do not care about your tribe, I want results. Period!” Murkomen posted.
The outage, which left the country in the dark for over 12 hours is said to have been caused by a disturbance in one of the main power generating stations.
Kenya Power said this affected other lines, leading to the blackout.
Ogoye was serving as the Head of Corporate Planning at the authority.
Engineer Samuel Mwochache was appointed to replace Odawo in an acting capacity.
The CS made the announcement after having a meeting with the Kenya Airport Authority officials at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The meeting was prompted by the Friday power blackout which was witnessed in major parts of the country.
JKIA was also affected leading to passengers getting stranded in darkness for at least two hours.
It was reported that there was no electricity at Kenya’s main international airport from around 9.45 pm.
However, Murkomen said that the power shortage did not intefere with the outgoing or incoming flights.
Gitari was appointed acting KAA boss in 2019 and was confirmed as the substantive MD in July 2021 follwing the resignation of Jonny Andersen.
Andersen announced his resignation as the authority’s CEO effective end of September 2019 despite his first term contract being due in November 2019.
Andersen cited personal reasons as the cause of his departure. He joined KAA in 2016 after leaving Norway’s Avinor AS.
His tenure at KAA improved the status of Kenya’s aviation industry.
One of his many achievements includes securing JKIA’s approval as a Last Point of Departure. The LPD achievement paved the way for direct flights to the US.
Mbugua rose to the helm of KAA after the sacking of her predecessor Engineer Stephen Gichuki a massive fire at JKIA in 2013.
At the time, Mbugua served as the General Manager for Marketing and Business Development.
In May this year, Murkomen appointed former KAA boss Lucy Mbugua the Regional Director for the Eastern and Southern African Office at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The Eastern and Southern Africa Office within ICAO is mainly responsible for maintaining continuous liaison with the 24 States to which it is accredited with the Regional Director serving as the Representative of the Secretary-General to the accredited States in the Region.
Mbugua was summarily dismissed from office owing to the controversial apron bus scandal eight years ago. She was hounded out of office in 2015.
“Her expertise and strategic leadership has helped streamline aviation transport operations and moulded sustainable operations for Kenya’s air transport.” Murkomen said.
In 2014, Relief & Mission Logistics won the contract to ferry passengers on the airside at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) for a period of 8 years and of which was to expire last year 2022.
But the contract was, however, terminated on June 5,2015 after retired president Kenyatta visited the airport in May 2015 on a public resources random audit mission and in the process, was flabbergasted to find out that KAA was paying Sh11 million every month for Relief and Mission logistics’ 5 buses services.
According to report prepared by an internal auditor in the wake of the then president Kenyatta’s concerns showed that the cost charged by the bidder was to be recovered from the airlines since the apron buses service was not meant to be free but in contrary, it was noted that since the introduction to the apron service on November 28, 2014, the airlines had been getting the service for free.
For the eight years, Relief & Mission Logistics was to earn Sh1billion in fees.
Mbugua was sacked alongside Chief Finance Officer John Thumbi and Airport Engineer Christopher Warutere.
