Transport Cabinet Secretary(CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has sacked Kenya Airports Authority(KAA) Managing Director, Alex Gitari following the power blackout at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) that stranded passengers for more than two hours.
Henry Ogoye who is currently serving as the Head of Corporate Planning has been appointed to replace him in an acting capacity.
Fred Odawo who has been the Project and Engineering Services General Manager has also been fired and replaced by Samuel Mwochache.
“Over the last few years, KAA has faced a series of mishaps occasioned by management challenges and political interference that has resulted into a demoralized and disorganized workforce,” Murkomen stated.
Murkomen also allayed the fears that the blackout incident posed a danger to the incoming and outgoing flights and passengers explaining that the backup generator lighting the runway and control tower was seamlessly deployed.
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He also directed the KAA to immediately commission two backup generators that were procured two years ago to avert the occurrence of such incidences in the future.
“At no time did we have an iota of darkness on the runway and the tower. In order 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,” Murkomen said.
Other changes effected in the management of airports include the transfer of Abel Gogo, the Airport Manager JKIA to Mombasa International Airport.
Kisumu International Airport Manager Selina Gor has taken up Gogo’s place at JKIA. Mombasa Airport Manager Peter Wafula has been moved to Kisumu International Airport.
While power outages are not uncommon in Kenya, the sudden darkness at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) took many by surprise and escalated into widespread public frustration and anger.
Kenya Power restored power at the airport and in various regions across the country after a duration of almost five hours.
As of Saturday, certain areas including Nairobi continued to experience power outages, despite assurances from the utility firm that they were tirelessly working to address the problem.
“We are working to restore normalcy in all other areas as soon as possible,” read in part the Kenya Power statement.
