Murkomen Makes Changes at Aviation Authority after More than 12Hrs of Blackout at JKIA

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has witnessed a major leadership shakeup. Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the dismissal of KAA Managing Director Alex Gitari and General Manager Project and Engineering Services, Fred Odawo, citing a series of management challenges affecting the authority.

During a tour of JKIA on earlier today, Murkomen expressed the need for a revitalized workforce and emphasized the end of perpetual acting positions.

“The board has done a great job in the reconstitution and reorganization of KAA,” he stated.

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As part of the restructuring, Henry Ogoye, formerly the Head of Corporate Planning, will take over as the new Managing Director, while Eng. Samuel Mwochache steps in as the General Manager of Project and Engineering Services.

Highlighting the motive behind these changes, Murkomen clarified that this wasn’t a witch hunt against the former officials.

He further revealed a reshuffling of high-ranking personnel across Kenya’s major airports: Abel Gogo moves from JKIA to Mombasa International Airport, Selina Gor transitions from Kisumu International Airport to JKIA, and Peter Wafula moves to Kisumu International Airport from Mombasa.

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Regarding the power outage, Murkomen assured the public that the blackout had no impact on flight operations and passenger safety due to the seamless deployment of backup generators for runway lighting and the control tower.

“To prevent such incidents from recurring, we have decided to commission the two generators procured over two years ago,” he said.

“We’ve also bolstered the engineering department’s technical expertise to mitigate the possibility of future occurrences.”

However, the power outage has sparked concerns about Kenya Power’s performance and its monopoly in the energy sector. National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi criticized the frequent outages, stating that they jeopardize the economy and national security.

He said, “KPLC’s incompetence is evident, and this recurring issue warrants accountability.”

Wandayi called for an inquiry into Kenya Power’s operations and expressed the need for transparency and efficiency in the energy sector.

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“We demand answers and consequences for this mismanagement,” he stated. “It’s high time we evaluate the value taxpayers are getting from the monopoly.”

In response, the National Assembly’s Committee on Energy summoned Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and Kenya Power CEO Joseph Siror to appear before the House on Thursday.

Mwala MP Vincent Musyoka, the committee chair, emphasized the importance of a comprehensive account of the outage’s causes, particularly its impact on critical areas like JKIA.

The power outage incident has ignited discussions on the need for a resilient energy distribution system and enhanced accountability in the energy sector.

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