KAA managers lose their jobs as CS Murkomen makes 9 changes at JKIA following blackout

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen visited the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) offices on Saturday, August 26, following a nationwide blackout that paralyzed operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

After a meeting with KAA officials, CS Murkomen announced the following changes;

The contract of KAA Managing Director Alex Gitari has been terminated by mutual consent.
Head of Corporate Planning Henry Ogoye to replace Gitari in an acting capacity.
The contract of Fred Odawa, who has been the General Manager in charge of projects and engineering has been terminated.
Samuel Mochache has been appointed to replace Fred in an acting capacity.
Abel Gogo, JKIA manager moved to Mombasa International Airport.
Selina Gor, Kisumu International Airport Manager moved to JKIA.
Peter Wafula, Mombasa International Airport Manager moved to Kisumu.
Two generators procured more than 2 years ago be commissioned.
CS Murkomen directs the KAA board to improve motivation among staff.

He said that following the loss of power across the country, KAA should have had a backup plan to ensure seamless connectivity in such a critical installation as JKIA.

The power outage, which lasted for several hours, caused significant disruptions to flights and airport operations.

CS Kipchumba Murkomen Pulse Live Kenya

In a statement close to midnight, CS Murkomen expressed his apologies for the inconvenience caused by the blackout.

“I am really sorry for what has happened at JKIA with the blackout. There is no excuse worth reporting and there is no reason why our airport is in darkness.

"I will be announcing the decision we will make tomorrow 9am at JKIA after a meeting with the leadership of the airport. Once again I am sorry,” he said in the statement.

President Ruto’s impromptu inspection of JKIA

This embarrassing incident comes just days after President William Ruto conducted an impromptu inspection at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Monday evening August 21.

Ruto proceeded on an inspection tour right after bidding farewell to Indonesian President Joko Widodo on the airport runway.

Accompanied by Foreign Affairs CS Alfred Mutua, President Ruto's visit aimed to ensure that all preparations are in top gear for the arrival of approximately 17 heads of state for the Africa Climate Week (Sept 4 to Sept 8) and Africa Climate Summit (Sept 4 to Sept 6).

President William Ruto conducted an impromptu inspection at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Monday evening August 21, 2023 President William Ruto conducted an impromptu inspection at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Monday evening August 21, 2023 Pulse Live Kenya

The president took the opportunity to interact with both airport staff and passengers, reflecting his commitment to the smooth functioning of the event's logistics.

He engaged with ground crews, security personnel, and administrative staff, discussing the final stages of preparation and making certain that all aspects were aligned with the highest standards of efficiency and organization.

The Africa Climate Week 2023 and Africa Climate Summit are set to be held concurrently at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).