Gichinga says if the two will not quit, the pilots will down their tools on Tuesday next week, starting 5am until a comprehensive solution is found/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 11 – The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) has issued a seven-day strike notice demanding an overhaul of the Kenya Airways (KQ) management.
KALPA Secretary General Captain Paul Gichinga told a media briefing that they want Board Chairman Dennis Awori and CEO Mbuvi Ngunze to resign, arguing that they have no confidence in their ongoing turnaround strategy.
Gichinga says if the two will not quit, the pilots will down their tools on Tuesday next week, starting 5am until a comprehensive solution is found.
“We are today, Tuesday 11, October 2016, issuing a seven-day strike notice. We wish to inform all the airline’s stakeholders that KALPA members will from 5am local time, Tuesday 18 October 2016 down their tools until a comprehensive change of guard at Kenya Airways is effected,” Gichinga told journalists.
The announcement comes even as the management continues to assure shareholders and Kenyans at large that there is a constructive strategy to revive the airline which has made over Sh50billion losses two financial years in a row.
The airline reported a net loss of Sh26.2billion for 2015/2016 financial year, up from Sh25.7billion in the previous financial year.
During the Annual General Meeting (AGM) last month, Awori told the shareholders that the management had received a Forensic Audit Report that will play a key role in guiding them to bring Kenya Airways back on its feet.
But KALPA maintains that the promises by the management don’t seem to bear any fruits hence the need for change.
“We have no confidence in the airline’s recovery under the stewardship of the Chairman of the Board of Directors Ambassador Dennis Awori and CEO Mbuvi Ngunze,” Gichinga said, “We are not convinced genuine efforts are being made to turnaround the airline.”
