KQ safety director exit adds to list of senior staff changes

Kenya Airways’ safety director has quit the airline, becoming the latest casualty of the ongoing management changes at the national carrier.

Alex Avedi, who was also in charge of corporate quality, security and environment, has exited the airline following disciplinary hearings instituted on him after the April KQ pilots’ strike.

Mr Avedi and flight operations director Paul Mwangi were sent on leave of absence to secure consultation goodwill from striking pilots who wanted them and human resource boss Alban Mwendar sacked for alleged mistreatment.

Mr Mwendar has since exited KQ, Mr Mwangi quit his directorship position but retained his post as a pilot and now Mr Avedi has resigned.

“We can confirm that Mr Avedi resigned from KQ earlier this month,” the airline’s management told the Business Daily.

KQ’s top managers have found themselves in a tight spot, with the Senate calling for their dismissal. The legislators insist that the Treasury, one of the airline’s shareholders, pegs a Sh60 billion bailout package on the staff changes.

The airline’s pilots in April joined the calls for management changes, culminating in a strike as they demanded that the three managers, including the CEO, leave the national carrier.

READ: More KQ senior staff changes lined up in bailout bid plans

They blamed their bosses for poor managerial decisions which they said led to KQ posting a record Sh25.7 billion loss in the 2014/2015 financial year, alleged mistreatment and undeserved appointments.

As part of negotiations to end the biting strike, KQ’s management and the Treasury agreed to send Messrs Avedi and Mwangi on leave to allow for investigations into their conduct.

“The pilots complained and alleged that they were being mistreated by the two directors,” Transport cabinet secretary James Macharia told Business Daily in an earlier interview.