Airport security officer sues after losing job for making Matiang'i queue

A former security officer has sued Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) after she was fired for making Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i queue for a security check.

Daisy Cherogony was working at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when she was accused of mistreating and humiliating Dr Matiang'i by insisting he should queue with other passengers for a security check on April 6.

The CS was scheduled to fly to Kisumu.

Ms Cherogony was suspended and later fired from her post as a security supervisor.

In documents filed at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nyeri County, Cherogony said she was accused of making a mistake that does not exist and was victimised and discriminated against by KAA.

Authority regulations

She wants the court to declare her termination unfair and award her Sh2.4 million for wrongful dismissal.

She maintains that she did not violate any of the authority's regulations and procedures and as such, her dismissal was unlawful.

Cherogony complained that the CS was accompanied by an airport police inspector and his security team who caused a ruckus and tried to force their way through instead of waiting in line.

In her suit, she said she tried to calm the Education CS down but he informed Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia about his trip.

"He (Matiang'i) did not want to follow the queue but wanted special treatment despite the fact that it was raining and people were complaining," she said.

As a result, she said, she could not allow the CS into the airport before he was cleared at the screening checkpoint.

Cherogony argued that according to the airport security manual, Cabinet secretaries did not qualify for any preferential treatment unless they had special passes.

She said Matiang'i and his entourage did not have the special passes.

The security supervisor was suspended two days later and ordered to appear before a disciplinary committee.

Humiliating CS

Cherogony was accused of mistreating and humiliating the CS. On May 11, she was dismissed on grounds of gross misconduct.

She has accused KAA of frustrating her efforts to claim her job benefits.

The authority has 15 days to respond to the suit.

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