Ex-KAA boss makes shocking claims in case linked to proposed JKIA-KQ deal

Former Kenya Airports Authority acting MD Yatich Kagungo wants disciplinary proceedings against him stopped.

He claims that his remarks to union staff who are agitating against the proposed Kenya Airways management of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is what caused him trouble.

Kagungo further claims that he has been in a non-existent office for the past one and a half years without any duties or assignments being assigned to him.

He further alleges that he has been kept in the dark about management meetings despite the fact that he is a senior manager and has only been receiving newspapers, tea and his salary.

In his affidavit, Kagungo claims that on February 4, 2019 he was confronted by a group of angry union officials and staff members who demanded to hear from him.

According to him, they wanted to know whether he was a part of a group of the top management that wanted to ‘sell off’ JKIA, the property of Kenya Airports Authority, to Kenya Airways (KQ).

“The apparently angry staff members were more angered by the reality that the said takeover would render them redundant and therefore wished to hear from him by virtue of the fact that he had been on the top echelon of the leadership of the Authority,” the court papers read.

It is his argument that he addressed them in an attempt to assure them that he would intercede on their behalf.

Apparently it is at this moment that the senior management took issue with his remarks to the staff.

They wrote to him a show-cause letter demanding an explanation as to why he should not be punished for allegedly being in breach of the Human Resource Manual.

He further claims that members of the KAA disciplinary committee, with the exception of the current chairperson, have been in a tag of war with him since then.

‘HUMILIATE AND PERSECUTE HIM’

“The Applicant has no confidence over the composition of KAA disciplinary committee and is fearful that the open bias against him will not lead to a just outcome,” court papers read.

Kagungo expressed fear that the outcome of the said disciplinary proceeding against him, if not stopped, is easily going to humiliate and persecute him.

“The disciplinary session slated for the 27th February (tomorrow) against the Applicant herein is tantamount to a committee of hyenas presiding over the welfare of a goat,” Kagungo said.

He further states that if the court does not come to his rescue of by way of a temporary injunction against the purported disciplinary meeting, then his right to fairness will be in jeopardy.

In the court documents, the former boss also wants an interim injunction issued to stay a KAA letter dated February 25, 2019 or any other related communication directing him to appear before on February 27, 2019 at 1400hrs for disciplinary proceedings.

Similarly, he wants the court to permanently restrain KAA from subjecting him to any disciplinary meetings presided by the disciplinary committee as is currently constituted.

The Board of Directors, Kenya Airports Authority, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Attorney General have been named as respondents in the case.