Mudavadi wants takeover of JKIA by Kenya Airways stopped

Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi has asked the government to stop any partnership between Kenya Airways (KQ) and the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) until public confidence is restored.

Mr Mudavadi Thursday asked the government to make the events surrounding the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) graft issues public.

He was speaking at his office in Nairobi.

LOST CONFIDENCE

He said Kenyans have lost confidence in the Jubilee administration and asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to step up his war against corruption.

“In the newest development in state graft, the government is now trying to merge the Kenya Airports Authority and the Kenya Airways in a highly opaque and suspicious manner,” said Mr Mudavadi.

“We cannot keep wondering when these people will get satisfied. Must they bleed the country up to its very last drop of blood to feed their thirst for wealth? The president must now step up and freeze all public-private deals on public assets,” he said.

At the same time, Mr Mudavadi said the party is deeply concerned with the way government has dealt with aviation workers currently on strike.

STRIKE

The Kenya Airport Workers Union (Kawu) called for a strike to oppose the proposed takeover of JKIA by the financially crippled Kenya Airways.

The ANC party leader said billions of shillings have been sunk into the troubled airline.

The workers went on strike over fear of job losses resulting from the takeover.

“The kind of bestiality we have witnessed is completely in conflict with civilized behaviour. Workers’ rights are protected in the Constitution of Kenya,” Mr Mudavadi said.

He called for the sacking of the people in the industrial relations department saying they have failed in their mandate to initiate dialogue with the workers.

Mr Mudavadi said its both scandalous and callous that people who are entrusted with protecting public interest have turned out to be the people’s enemies.

DAILY NATION