Court stops Kenya Airways from hiring finance director
Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer Mbuvi Ngunze (right) at a past press conference with former Finance Director Alex Mbugua. Mr Mbugua has obtained temporary court orders stopping the national carrier from searching for his successor. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA |
What you need to know:
- Justice Monicah Mbaru on Thursday ruled that Kenya Airways will have to wait until April 28 when she decides on whether Mr Mbugua should be reinstated as the suit he has filed against his sacking proceeds.
- Mr Mbugua has sued the national carrier in a bid to reverse its decision to fire him on January 18 for alleged under-performance.
- Kenya Airways has defended its move to sack Mr Mbugua, as it holds that the former director intentionally skipped an urgent performance review meeting before the human resources committee on January 18, which was conceived as insubordination.
Former Kenya Airways finance director Alex Wainaina Mbugua has obtained temporary court orders stopping the national carrier from searching for his successor.
Justice Monicah Mbaru on Thursday ruled that Kenya Airways will have to wait until April 28 when she decides on whether Mr Mbugua should be reinstated as the suit he has filed against his sacking proceeds.
Mr Mbugua has sued the national carrier in a bid to reverse its decision to fire him on January 18 for alleged under-performance.
Kenya Airways has defended its move to sack Mr Mbugua, as it holds that the former director intentionally skipped an urgent performance review meeting before the human resources committee on January 18, which was conceived as insubordination.
“An ex-parte interim injunction be and is hereby granted restraining Kenya Airways from headhunting, advertising carrying out interviews, recruiting and employing a group finance director to replace the applicant (Mr Mbugua),” reads the order initially obtained on March 18.
Mr Dick Murianki, who served as the general manager for the airline’s cargo business, replaced Mr Mbugua in an acting capacity until a substantive finance director is recruited.
DENIED DOCUMENTS
The airline says the review was to be done on all top managers, and that Mr Mbugua had been informed of the decision by the chairman of the board of directors, Mr Dennis Awori.
Mr Mbugua has claimed in court that he skipped the meeting because the human resource committee declined to furnish him with the list of allegations against him and crucial documents he had requested a few days before his sacking, which he says would have proven that he was a competent finance director.
Meanwhile, the national carrier shared equally the money from the sale of a prime landing slot at Heathrow Airport in London with Air France as fresh details about the deal were revealed on Thursday.
KQ chief executive officer Mbuvi Ngunze told senators that the slot was co-owned by the two airlines, thus the sharing of the proceeds.
Appearing before the Senate Roads and Transportation Committee chaired by Lamu Senator Abu Chiaba, Mr Ngunze said the sale had already happened and the proceeds split between the two airlines.
