MPs call for removal of Kenya Airways' top management from office

MPs on Tuesday criticised the top management of Kenya Airways and called for their removal as well as the termination of the national carrier’s partnership with Dutch airline KLM.

Majority Leader Aden Duale linked Opposition chief Raila Odinga to imminent collapse of the airline.

But Opposition MPs downplayed the claims and urged colleagues to look beyond the matter to issues of more substance and importance. Mr Odinga has denied playing any role in the collapse of a KQ subsidiary.

The debate was triggered by the anger of MPs who were among passengers stranded at Jomo Kenyatta and Moi international airports over the week - end as the airline delayed flights. Mr Duale was among them and said he had paid over Sh50,000 for a business class seat, an amount he said was too high compared to what other people pay for similar flights in Europe and elsewhere.

Last December, the Senate adopted a report by a select committee recommending the sacking of KQ Chief Executive Office Mbuvi Ngunze as well as the possible prosecution of former CEO Titus Naikuni.

The airline’s continued troubles roused the ire of the National Assembly on its first sitting after a month recess. They discussed the airline’s troubled history, the high cost of tickets, the sale of jets that have been lying idle on the tarmac and the contentious partnership with KLM.

KLM has a 26.73 per cent stake in the airline, with the government the largest shareholder with 29.8 per cent. Mr Duale dove into a recent report link - ing Mr Odinga to a private firm, Astral Aviation, that is reported to have taken over KQ’s profitable cargo business.

Mr Odinga has denied that his shareholding in Astral Aviation was significant enough to give him – his son Raila Odinga Junior and a former personal assistant were also shareholders – significant influence. Raila Odinga argued that he has only one share.

‘‘If you have only one share, how do you become chairman of the board? He posed.

Mr Duale linked KLM’s ownership by Air France to La Farge, the French industrial company, which he said was responsible for having Mr Naikuni in the board of Bamburi Cement.

He claimed that so powerful is KLM in the marriage with KQ that there is nothing that can be done to Mr Ngunze. “The immediate removal of Mr Ngunze, must be sought by this House,” said Mr Duale.

But Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa dismissed the link between Mr Odinga and the company that took over the cargo business but asked the House to take action on those behind the bad fortunes of the national carrier.

“We must not politicise this matter. A special committee must be formed to look into this matter,” he added.

Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo said Kenya made a mistake by agreeing to have the partnership with KLM by selling shares.

“There are people sitting in offices today who are enjoying the spiralling down of KQ,” he added. Mr Midiwo said the privatisation of KQ’s cargo business was in order as it is not the core business of the airline.

“What is neater, so that we can get to the bottom of this, is a select committee. Not throwing words around. The Transport Committee has been around for three years. If you look at their minutes, the issue of KQ is there,” said Mr Midiwo.

Mr Midiwo said the investigation should also extend to the Kenya Airports Authority, which has had its fair share of issues over the past five years.