Suspended KQ staff Gire Ali who exposed 239 passengers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport aboard a China Southern Airlines flight amid coronavirus scare living in fear

Suspended KQ staff who filmed 239 passengers from China living in fear after these phone calls

Charles Ouma

February 29, 2020 8:59 AM

Fresh twist in coronavirus scare at JKIA as suspended whistleblower opens up

A China Southern Airlines plane

Gire Ali, the brave Kenyan who filmed a China Southern Airlines plane landing with 239 passegers at Jomo Keyatta International Airport on Wednesday at the height of Coronavirus fears has experessed concerns over his life after receiving phone calls.

Gire stated that he has been receiving phone calls and he is being watched closely by undisclosed individuals, adding that he has been warned to watch out as his life could be in danger after he exposed the airline in a scandal that saw Kenyans hail him as a true patriot whose only interest was saving the lives of more than 47 Million Kenyans.

Gire Ali who was suspended by Kenya Airways after exposing a China Southern Airlies flight that brought in 239 passengers into Kenya at the height of the Coronavirus scare Pulse Live Kenya

“They have been calling and I’m yet to go and meet the team because someone warned me that my life might be in danger and that they were watching me". Said Gire.

Gire confirmed that indeed he had be suspended and when he went to the facility, he did not even access the offices and handed over his identification tag through the fence.

“I handed over my work identification documents through the fence and left. I fear about what could happen to me,” he said.

“Yes, what is trending is true. They have suspended me,” added Gire.

Orders from above

Nation reports that as early as 02 Feb, ground officials at JKIA had written to their supervisor, expressing grave concerns that were apparently ignored.

“As you are aware, we have a duty to provide security services to China Southern from the time of arrival up to departure,” reads the letter seen by the publication.

“We’re required to maintain security presence on this flight as long as it is on the ground. Our staff are badly exposed since we do not have protective gear while discharging our duties. We kindly request that similar masks be provided to our staff working on this flight.”

The concerns were not addressed and when the flight finally landed, ground staff were reluctant to attend to it until intervention from high-ranking government officials compelled them to do so.

Court intervention

The High Court on Friday issued a ruling directing that all 239 passengers who arrived at the JKIA on February 26 to be placed under mandatory quarantine.

Justice James Makau Pulse Live Kenya

Justice James Makau directed that the passengers who traveled via the China Southern flight should be quarantined at a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) facility.

The judge, however, did not specify the military facility that would be used for the purpose.

In the same breath, Justice Makau suspended all flights originating in China from landing in Kenyan airports until the matter before him is decided.