Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Tuesday, December 12, hinted at a possible overhaul plan targeting employees of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).
Speaking during a football event in Baringo County, Murkomen said that his Ministry was privy to information that the recent downtime at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport due to back up generator failure was a result of sabotage.
As such, he explained that he held a meeting with Inspector General of the Police Japhet Koome in efforts to investigate the culprits behind the alleged sabotage.
According to him, the culprits once caught will face legal action.
“The generator that failed to start immediately was due to sabotage by some miscreants,” he said while affirming that he was in firm control of the transport docket.
“I have been with the IG and the culprits will face action,” he warned.
In his speech, Murkomen also told off critics calling for his resignation over the unending challenges reported at the JKIA.
Murkomen Details Plans to Stop JKIA Mess
While defending his leadership as the Transport CS, Murkomen said that the current government found a dilapidated airport adding that efforts were in place to upgrade the airport’s efficiency.
He listed the current taskforce created to assess the infrastructure as some of the efforts taken to upgrade JKIA and maintain its status as a key transport hub in the region.
According to him, the government will from January 2024 begin the construction of a new terminal in the airport as part of the measures to suffice infrastructural needs.
Further, the Transport CS revealed that his Ministry was working to recruit new personnel, an endeavor he noted that the government was close to achieving.
“We have started the process of hiring new people and we are close to achieving our target,” he said.
Also Read: KAA Forced to Explain JKIA Blackout with Standby Generators
His statement came on the back of a widespread uproar due to the state of JKIA.
JKIA Woes
From leaking roofs to congestions and now three blackouts in quick succession, JKIA has over the recent month made headlines and point of discussion for the bad reasons.
Not even a move by the Transport CS to change the top leadership of the KAA would end the challenges reported, begging the question of the extent of the JKIA problems.
Also Read: Murkomen Makes Request to Police After JKIA Blackout
On Sunday, December 10, the airport was yet again plunged into darkness with travelers using the facility left stranded momentarily due to a generator failure.
Consequently, the incidents left a section of Kenyans and even politicians calling for the resignation or firing of the Transport CS.
On his part, however, Murkomen has been adamant that the challenges at JKIA are a result of neglect during the previous administration.
