House team retreats to Mombasa to write JKIA takeover report

The National Assembly’s Transport and Housing Committee is set to retreat to Mombasa at the weekend for three days to write its report on the controversial proposal for Kenya Airways’ takeover of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The committee chairman David Pkosing (Pokot South) told the Nation that they have 11 proposals from various stakeholders that appeared before them last week which they will consider and harmonise.

“This is a matter of national importance and that is why my committee gave all stakeholders an opportunity to present their views and solutions on how best to help Kenya Airways,” Mr Pkosing said.

Mr Pkosing said that all stakeholders who appeared before them were in agreement that the national carrier must be salvaged in wake of its dwindling fortunes but they all differed on how to do it.

Among those who appeared before the committee last week include the Ministry of Transport, Kenya Airways, Kenya Airports Authority and State Corporations Advisory Committee.

Others were Transaction consultants, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and the Public Service Commission.

Both Kenya Airline Pilots Association and Kenya Aviation Workers Union told the committee that the woes facing KQ are more of managerial and that the takeover plan will not be an end to the woes bedevilling the carrier.

“All the stakeholders agreed that Kenya is losing its market share to Ethiopian Airlines. As a committee we are now going to put all their views together and come up with one best way of helping Kenya Airways,” Mr Pkosing said.