Transport CS Murkomen makes personnel changes at aviation authority after JKIA blackout

Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has announced the dismissal of Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director Alex Gitari and General Manager Project and Engineering Services, Fred Odawo, following the Friday nationwide power outage that affected operations at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Henry Ogoye, the current Head of Corporate Planning at KAA will replace Gitari while Eng. Samuel Mwochache will succeed Odawo.

Speaking after touring JKIA on Saturday to ascertain whether operations had resumed at the facility, Murkomen attributed the personnel changes to KAA frequently experiencing mishaps occasioned by management challenges which he says have resulted to a de-moralised workforce.

"When I appointed the new board, I made it clear that they must reorganize the workforce and end the culture of having many of our officers holding key positions, serving in acting capacity in perpetuity. The board has done a great job in the reconstitution and reorganization of  KAA, he said.

"The institution has since began the process of hiring permanent staff to take these positions in an exercise that will be concluded within the next two weeks. Pursuant to the challenges facing KAA, we have made the following changes in consultation with the board of directors."

While insisting that the dismissal of Gitari and Odawo should not be perceived as a witch hunt against the pair, Murkomen also announced the reshuffling of high-ranking personnel in charge of the Kenya's three major airports.

"Abel Gogo, the Airport Manager JKIA now moves to Mombasa International Airport. Selina Gor the Airport Manager Kisumu International Airport will move to JKIA as the new manager," said Murkomen.

"Peter Wafula, the Airport Manager Mombasa, moves to Kisumu International Airport. These changes take effect immediately. More changes will follow in the coming days."  

Murkomen correspondingly insisted that the JKIA power outage did not pose any danger to incoming and outgoing flights and passengers since the backup generator lighting the runway and control tower was seamlessly deployed when the blackout occurred.

"Further 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 commissioned," he said.

"I assure the country that we have taken measures to enhance capacity of technical experts in the engineering department to ensure such incidences do not occur."