After carrying out investigations on various allegations leveled against the Kenya Airports Authority Managing Director and three senior officers, the Board of Directors has recalled them back to work.
MD Lucy Mbugua, general manager Finance, John Thumbi, the corporation’s Secretary, Catherine Kisila, and Procurement manager Obadia Orora had been sent on a 30-day compulsory leave on 19 February to pave way for investigations on the matter of the agreement for development and management of duty free master licence at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) between KAA and a global travel retailer company, Durfy International AG.
According to Chairman David Kimaiyo, the board took the preliminary investigations within the time frame set out in the Human Resource manual.
“The board d is committed to good corpor
ate governance and organizational performance in service delivery in an environment of integrity and efficiency. The Board takes coignanze of the Executive Order Number 6 and is committed to ensuring that KAA meets the demands of the Constitution and the expectations of Kenyans with regard to ethics and Integrity,” said Kimaiyo.
The announcement however does not sit well with the Consumer Federation Of Kenya who said in a statement on its website that the decision by the Board of the Kenya Airports Authority to reinstate Ms Lucy Mbugua after self-driven compulsory suspension and the serious offences she confessed to paints a dim view of a board whose role has effectively been reduced to a rubber stamp of decisions made elsewhere.
“We don’t accept the decision. We condemn it. Indeed the integrity of the KAA board is in question. Their decision to order for external investigations on February 19 only to backtrack on the same without a justification is wrong and unacceptable,” read part of the statement.
The Consumer body went on to add that the KAA board has breached values and principles of public service as defined under Article 232 of the Constitution.
“We expect KAA Chairman Mr David Kimaiyo to immediately publish the results of the so-called preliminary investigations stating who investigated, when, how and the mandate.The manner in which the appointment and disciplinary process the KAA board has handled Ms Mbugua vindicates our view that it was laced with deceit and a breach of the national values,” read another part.
