The Managing Director of Kenya Airports Authority, Alex Gitari, has been sacked after air travellers got stranded in darkness at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for several hours without electricity last Friday night.
The East African nation was hit by a nationwide power outage at about 21:45 hrs on Friday, with the power distribution company, Kenya Power, blaming the situation on ‘System Disturbance’.
Sadly, the Kenyatta International Airport did not have functioning backup generators, thereby, leaving passengers who were in transit stranded.
The sad development infuriated Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen.
Speaking to journalists after visiting the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Murkomen announced that the contract of the MD was terminated by mutual consent.
According to him, the decision was reached after consultations with the KAA board.
“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, Henry Ogoye, who has been Head of Corporate Affairs, has been appointed as the Acting MD,” he stated.
He said Mr. Henry Ogoye would immediately replace Gitari but in an acting capacity.
The CS again fired Fred Odawo, General Manager, of Project and Engineering Services, and appointed Samwel Mwochache in his place.
Abel Gogo, who served as the Airport Manager of JKIA, was transferred to Mombasa Airport while Selina Gor, Kisumu Airport Manager, was transferred to JKIA to succeed Gogo with immediate effect.
Peter Wafula, who held the portfolio of Airport Manager at Mombasa, was also transferred to Kisumu.
“Further; 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.
“I have further directed the Board to work on the staff attitude, mentorship and motivation to improve productivity,” Murkomen announced.
Additionally, the CS indicated that the board would effect more changes in the coming days as they move to prevent similar challenges of power blackouts from recurring.
Parliament also summoned Davis Chirchir, Energy Cabinet Secretary, and Joseph Siror, Kenya Power’s Chief Executive Officer, over the nationwide power outage.
The duo would appear before the National Assembly Committee on Energy with a detailed explanation of the causes of the outage.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
