(Posted 27th August 2023)
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport Kipchumba Murkomen, in the wake of a major blackout at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, fired the KAA boss Alex Gitari.
He subsequently appointed Henry Ogoye, who until now was serving as the Head of Corporate Planning to the position of Acting CEO.
Gitari had served in the position for the past two years but his tenure was littered with mishaps and failures at what is East Africa’s largest international airport, however a rank fast dwindling in the face of construction of new enlarged aviation facilities in Addis Ababa and the lack of a second runway. The latter project was scrapped by the former President Kenyatta, leaving JKIA vulnerable to closures whenever a runway incident occurs besides tying the Kenya government down in lawsuits with the former contractor.
While making the announcement of Gitari’s dismissal did CS Murkomen also announce the appointment of Samuel Mwochache as KAA General Manager of Project and Engineering Services, replacing Fred Odawo who served as the GM for four years. Other top managerial changes were also announced for the Mombasa and Kisumu airports.
The Friday night blackout affected Terminal 1A, which is being used by Kenya Airways and their SkyTeam partner airlines, leaving the entire terminal in the dark for several hours without generator back up. Flight operations and the running of the other terminals was reportedly not affected.
The full statement made by CS Murkomen reads as follows:
PRESS STATEMENT
26TH AUGUST 2023
RE: UPDATE ON JKIA BLACKOUT
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are well aware, last night, the country was plunged into a blackout
which affected key Government establishments, among them the Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport.
I wish to issue unreserved apology to all travellers and airport users who
were affected in one way or the other by the power disruption at JKIA.
For the avoidance of doubt, the incident though regrettable did not pose
any danger to our incoming and outgoing flights and passengers
considering that the backup generator lighting the runway and control
tower was seamlessly deployed when the blackout occurred and at no time
did we have an iota of darkness on the runway and the tower.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Over the last few years, KAA has faced a series of mishaps occasioned by
management challenges and political interference that has resulted into a
demorolised and disorganised workforce.
When I appointed the new Board, I made it clear that they, must
reorganise the workforce and end the culture of having many of our
officers holding key positions serving in acting capacity in perpetuity.
The Board has done a great job in the reconstitution and reorganisation of
KAA. The institution has since begun the process of hiring permanent staff
to take these positions, in an exercise that will be concluded within the
next two weeks.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Pursuant to the challenges facing KAA, we have made the following
changes in consultation with the Board of Directors;
1. By mutual consent, the contract of Mr. Alex Gitari who has been the
Managing Director of Kenya Airports Authority has been
terminated. In his place, Mr. Henry Ogoye currently serving as the
Head of Corporate Planning has been appointed to be the Acting
Managing Director of KAA.
2. By mutual consent, the contract of Fred Odawo who has been the
General Manager Project and Engineering Services has been
terminated, and in his place Eng. Samuel Mwochache has been
appointed in an acting capacity.
Further, the following changes have also been effected in the management
of airports;
1. Abel Gogo, the Airport Manager JKIA now moves to Mombasa
International Airport.
2. Selina Gor, the Airport Manager Kisumu International Airport now
moves to JKIA.
3. Peter Wafula, the Airport Manager Mombasa Airport moves to
Kisumu International Airport.
These changes take effect immediately. More changes will follow in the
coming days.
Further;
i) In order to ensure that a similar incident is not replicated, it has been
decided that the two generators that were procured more than two
years ago be immediately commissioned.
ii) I have further directed the Board to work on the staff attitude,
mentorship and motivation to improve productivity.
iii) I assure the country and the world that we have taken measures to
enhance capacity of technical experts in the engineering department to
ensure this incident does not recur.
Thank You!
Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen, EGH
CABINET SECRETARY
