Murkomen Fires Kenya Airports Authority Boss

Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has announced the termination of Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director Alex Gitari following his visit to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.

The move followed the power outage that crippled major operations at the busy airport.

Addressing the media after the inspection of the board, Murkomen revealed that the contract of Gitari was terminated by mutual consent.

Gitari will be replaced by Henry Mugoe, whose appointment takes effect immediately.

Former Kenya Airports Authority Managing Director, Alex Gitari. /FILE

"By Mutual consent, the contract of Mr Alex Gitari who had been the managing director of Kenya Airports Authority has been terminated. In his place Mr Henry Mugoe who has been Head of Corporate Affairs," he stated.

The CS also fired JKIA manager Abel Gogo, replacing him with Eng. Samuel Mwochache in an acting capacity. Gogo was transferred to the Moi International Airport in Mombasa.

Selina Gor, the Airport Manager at Kisumu International Airport, will now take Gogo's place at JKIA.

Peter Wafula, the Airport Manager of Mombasa Airport moves to Kisumu International Airport.

"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.

"I have further directed the Board to work on the staff attitude, mentorship and motivation to improve productivity. I assure the country and the world that we have taken measures to enhance the capacity of technical experts in the engineering department to ensure this incident does not recur," added the CS.

The CS also indicated that the board would effect more changes in the coming days as they move to prevent similar challenges caused by power blackouts in the country.

The changes come after KAA attributed the nearly 2-hour power blackout at JKIA to the failure of one of the generators to start.

In an update released on Friday night, August 25, KAA stated that the generator had affected operations at the airport's Terminal 1A and Parking Silo.