Economy

House summons minister over KAA suspensions

kamau

Transport and Infrastructure secretary Michael Kamau. FILE PHOTO |

Parliament has summoned Transport and Infrastructure secretary Michael Kamau to explain the suspension of Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) managing director Lucy Mbugua.

Mr Kamau is expected to appear before the National Assembly committee on Transport to shed light on the removal of Ms Mbugua and three other senior managers who were sent on leave.

Committee chairman Maina Kamanda said the committee would seek to understand “what is happening at KAA, given the abrupt changes in management.”

Ms Mbugua was sent on compulsory leave alongside John Thumbi (general manager finance), Katherine Kisila (corporation secretary) and Obadiah Orora (procurement manager) on February 19 over the controversial award of a tender to run duty free shops at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

“We have written to the minister asking him to appear before the committee tomorrow (today),” Mohamed Mohamud, the committee vice chairperson, told members last evening.

KAA board chairman David Kimaiyo sent the four home to facilitate a probe into the award of the duty free shops tender to an international company. The tender was awarded to Dufry International.

The company was hired to manage the new terminal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The board appointed Yatich Kangugo, who was the Moi International Airport Mombasa manager, to act as managing director pending a report from a team appointed to investigate the suspended officials.

The committee on Monday met to deliberate on bilateral air agreements signed between Kenya and Ghana, and Kenya and Niger on December 13, 2013.