Atwoli, Government Clash on JKIA Standoff

• Author
• Recent Posts

Chrispen

Business || Brand strategist || Marketing - We make and break Brands®

Latest posts by Chrispen (see all)

• Mother who has Lived a Painful Marriage Life - November 22, 2024
• Microsoft Chops OneDrive Storage Capacity for Student Accounts - November 21, 2024
• Kenyans now aim Guns at SHA-Adani Deal, Issue Altimatum to Ruto - November 21, 2024

Thursday, September 12, 2024 –Central Organisation of Trade Union COTU and the government have differed on the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport JKIA sell.

Addressing the media at the JKIA on Wednesday September 11, COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli revealed the hurdles he endured while attempting to reach out to the then Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary CS Kipchumba Murkomen.

In his statement, the COTU boss indicated that he tried calling Murkomen so that to share with him how to go about the entire agreement with Adani investment but Murkomen, instead, ignored his calls and could not accept to have any meeting with him.

“I personally tried to reach out to the then CS for Transport Mr. Murkomen on this matter but our CSs are arrogant and he couldn’t pick my calls.

“We couldn’t be where we are today if this issue was handled and communicated properly. Anything of this magnitude should be planned and discussed with the workers first,” Atwoli told the media.

And speaking the same day following the JKIA staff strike and a long standoff at the facility, newly-appointed Transport CS Davis Chirchir said the partnership with the Adani Group was unavoidable to revamp the facility.

He added that the JKIA Airport is a State-owned facility that cannot be sold to foreigners and, therefore, urged members of the public to understand that the planned leasing out is meant to facelift it to internationally acceptable standards for increased business and activities.

“JKIA requires urgent expansion due to increasing passenger and cargo traffic, with current numbers exceeding its design capacity,” the statement read.

Chirchir, on behalf of the government, mentioned that there is an anticipation in a surge in passengers and cargo at the JKIA in the next 30 years, and, therefore, impossible to sustain plans to expand the airport without the intervention of a private investor in what is commonly referred to as Private Public Partnership PPP.