Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago has opposed the planned takeover of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by the national carrier Kenya Airways (KQ)
Speaking on Sunday during a funds drive at AIC Kimoson Church in Kapseret Constituency, Mandago said it should be the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) taking over the struggling KQ and not the other way round.
“As a governor who comes from a county with the third biggest airport, we are not going to accept Kenya Airways taking over Kenya Ports Authority since in the whole world it has never happened where a company which is making losses takes over a company making profits. It is always the other way round,” said the county boss.
“Kenya Airways has incurred loses year in year out. As a country, we should be asking KQ what it has been doing with the billions of taxpayer's money given to them as bailouts,” added Mandago.
He called on MPs especially those who hail from the Rift Valley not to support the JKIA takeover, arguing it is a shame that a company which owns only a few planes wants to take over a company which makes billions of shillings annually.
“MPs should not succumb to the pressure of JKIA's takeover by Kenya Airways. KQ should be liquidated and KAA allowed to take over,” he said.