Kenya Airways manager resigns

juma chrispinus

November 3, 2017 10:40 AM

The Manager's resignation comes on the day three KQ workers were apprehended attempting to peddle drugs.

Kenya Airways’ Human Resources Director penned his resignation letter on Thursday citing personal reasons, five months after he joined the airline.

“It has been an interesting time meeting and working with the KQ team across the network. I particularly enjoyed my participation in the transformation journey,” Mr Sammy Chepkwony told the airline in a memo which came a shocker to the national carrier.

Mr Chepkwony said in the memo that he had made the final decision to part ways in a bid to “pursue other interests.”

He joined Kenya Airways on June 2, having been recruited to fill a position that was until then being held in acting capacity by Lucy Muhiu, who has since left the company.

“I take this opportunity to thank you all for your valuable support and with you all the very best in the successful turnaround of the Pride of Africa (KQ). You will in due course be notified of who will take over the leadership of the HR team,” Mr Chepkwony told the company in a memo.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Nairobi.

He becomes the latest in a series of executives who have left the financially struggling airline since Sebastian Mikosz took over as chief executive from Mbuvi Ngunze.

Mr Ngunze resigned after a turbulent two-year stint at the helm. Earlier, Dennis Awori had resigned as the airline's board chairman and director and was replaced by Safaricom’s founding CEO Michael Joseph.

Catherine Moraa (head of internal audit), Ms Muhiu (head of employee relations), Kevin Kinyanjui (information systems director), and Brian Mbuti (in-flight and jet fuel procurement) have all left the company.

Earlier, the airline’s human resource director, Alban Mwendar, was forced out in April along with four senior managers, including the former company chief finance officer, Alex Mbugua, who left in January.

Mr Chepkwony has more than 20 years of experience in the HR sector, having worked for companies such as James Finlay Kenya, Nairobi Bottlers and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

juma chrispinus