Naikuni snubs committee probing KQ staff retrenchment

By Peter Opiyo

Kenya Airways CEO Titus Naikuni failed to appear before a parliamentary committee probing the retrenchment of 600 employees for the second time without giving any reason.

Naikuni was set to appear before the Labour and Social Welfare Committee to field questions on the controversial retrenchment, a week after he failed to turn up for questioning.

Chairperson Sophia Abdi said he failed to show up last week as he said he was outside the country, but did not give reason why he could not turn up this morning, Wednesday.

“We were expecting the CEO of KQ Tuesday morning, we have invited him for the second time. Last time he gave an excuse that he was not available as he was outside the country. We called through his
office and the Secretary said he was not coming to this committee,” said Ms Abdi.

Failure to appear before a parliamentary Committee would draw dire consequences as the Committees have powers as that of the High Court.

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Under the Constitution, House Committees have powers as that of the High Court and can compel individuals to appear before it to give evidence.

“Either House of Parliament, and any of its committees, has power to summon any person to appear before it for the purpose of giving evidence or providing information,” states Article 125 of the
Constitution.

“This is a serious offence and we will use all the powers conferred to this Committee by the Constitution and the Standing Orders. The Committee is taking this seriously and we will invoke the law so that
he appears to give evidence, with a warning of the consequences,” said Ms Abdi.

Consequently, the Committee has issued a directive that he appears before it on Thursday morning. He risks taken to court with a possibility of a six-month jail term should he fail to honour the summon.

The affected employees complained that they were dismissed without following due procedure and that the messages were relayed through Short Messages Services.

The Labour Ministry has termed the way the retrenchment were conducted as ‘cruel and barbaric’.

Naikuni later wrote a letter to the committee saying he was unable to appear because of other engagements and requested he appears on Thursday.