Six KAA officials interdicted after Uhuru's directive on airport buses

Six senior Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) officials have been interdicted following last week's presidential directive.

The decision to interdict the six was reached late Tuesday, with KAA board chairman David Kimaiyo saying they were sent home to pave way for investigations.

The six include managing director Lucy Mbugua, finance general manager John Thumbi, legal counsel Victor Arika and procurement manager Lilian Okidi.

Others are airport engineer Christopher Warutere and head of examination Martin Kungu.

“The chairman and Board of Directors of Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) wishes to announce that following the presidential directive from His Excellency Hon Uhuru Kenyatta on the Passenger Transfer Services (Apron Bus services) at JKIA, the board met and deliberated on 19th May, 2015.

“The following officers of the State corporation have been interdicted with immediate effect for a period of three months to pave way for investigations to be carried out,” Mr Kimaiyo said, listing their names.

LEASING OF BUSES

The move to send the six home comes barely a week after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the arrest of those involved in the leasing of the five-ramp passenger buses at Sh10 million per month.

“This is unsustainable. The people behind it will have to be arrested, taken to court and made to return public funds,” President Kenyatta said last Friday.

He added: “We must realise that we get these jobs not to enrich ourselves but to ensure we deliver quality services to the people who have given us the responsibility and the ability to do these jobs.’’

An internal memo seen by Nation also asked staff members to cooperate with those who would be appointed to replace them.

“You are requested to extend your usual support and co-operation to the officers who have been appointed in the acting capacity to take up the official responsibilities of the staff on interdiction,’’ read the internal memo addressed to all staff and signed by acting managing director Yatich Kangugo.

STILL ON SUSPENSION

Ms Mbugua becomes the first chief executive to be interdicted while still on suspension.

In April, she was among Cabinet secretaries and head of parastatals who were sent home to allow for investigations in the fight against corruption.

It will also be her third suspension this year, following a similar move by the board to suspend her in February and four other managers over the controversial award of a tender to run duty-free shops at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Dufry International.

The five had been cleared by the board, just three days before the presidential directive.

The buses whose tender approval was sought and granted in 2011 were acquired through an open tender later awarded to Relief & Mission Logistics at cost of $120,000 per month.

A notification letter was issued in May 2012 and a contract was signed in April 2014.

The need for the special buses was heightened after the airport design changed when remote stands were constructed following the August 2013 inferno. This meant that all international arrivals had to be bussed.

In the arrangement, KAA would charge the airlines for the use of the buses and any deficit between the collections and the amount payable to the concessionaire was to be financed by the authority from the budget provision of Sh75 million throughout the eight-year concession period.

Among the six suspended, airport engineer Christopher Waruteere is the only member of the tender committee that awarded the contract.