PARLIAMENTARY LABOR COMMITTEE SAYS GOVERNMENT IS FRUSTRATING ITS INVESTIGATIONS INTO KQ RETRENCHMENT

Retrenched Kenya airways workers have taken to the streets protesting their layoff while at the same time calling for the sacking of the chief executive Titus Naikuni. This comes even as the industrial court extended orders issued to the airline to stop retrenchment on 14th September after it emerged that the file had gone missing. Enraged retrenched Kenya airways workers took to the streets to protest their retrenchment that saw over 600 employees laid off. The workers who visited parliament buildings and the prime minister’s office seeking audience complained that the airline has moved ahead and employed over 200 new foreign workers following their layoff. "How many Kenyans are employed at British airways for the last many years it has been around. The motive of the government financing KQ and its rights issue was to earn Kenyans employment not Indians, Cameroonians, Thais and the rest." said a disgruntled retrenched cabin crew member Mr. Oyee. They urged the government which is the main shareholder to intervene. At the same time the employees were enraged by news that the file in the industrial court had gone missing calling it suspicious. "We cant believe the habit is back again. Mr Mutunga (Chief Justice) must produce file no.1616 or open a new file today." Mr Oyee added. Following the missing of the file the court has extended the orders issued on 14th of September compelling Kenya airways to stop the retrenchment . Meanwhile the labor committee probing the Kenya airways retrenchment adjourned after the permanent secretary of transport who was representing the minister could not provide any further information. The permanent secretary said the short notice by the committee has made it hard for the minister or his assistant to attend. A similar hearing meant with the acting CEO of the capital markets did not kick off as the CEO was said to be away. The members of the committee said this were theatrics by the government to slow the committee from presenting the report as scheduled.