Reprieve for Kenya Airways after court stops pilot’s strike

Kenya Airways chief executive Mbuvi Ngunze, who has said he will resign in the first quarter of 2017. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The pilots through the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa), are seeking to push for the resignation of the National carrier’s Chairman Dennis Awori and chief executive officer Mbuvi Ngunze.
  • Employment and Labour Court Judge Nduma Nderi on Friday granted temporary orders stopping the strike in an application filed by Kenya Airways Ltd through lawyer Geoffrey Obura.

Kenya Airways pilots have been stopped from proceeding with their planned strike next week.

The pilots through the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa), are seeking to push for the resignation of the National carrier’s Chairman Dennis Awori and chief executive officer Mbuvi Ngunze.

Employment and Labour Court Judge Nduma Nderi on Friday granted temporary orders stopping the strike in an application filed by Kenya Airways Ltd through lawyer Geoffrey Obura.

The lawyer said Kenya Airways and Kalpa, had entered a consent in court on June 2, this year, stopping a strike by the pilots. It was agreed that any party not satisfied with the contents of the consent order, was to approach the court for further directions.

“The strike notice and the reasons given are both in contempt of the court order. The resignation of Ambassador Awori and Mr Ngunze, as demanded by Kalpa, are not acts within the control of the airline,” explained lawyer Obura.

He said Kenya Airways has service contracts worldwide which any industrial action will adversely affect occasioning inevitable financial losses.

The lawyer was directed to serve Kalpa with the court papers.

The case will be heard on November 2.