MPs condemn move to bail out Kenya Airways

Members of Parliament drawn from the newly formed Kenya Kwanza Alliance have lashed out at the State for allocating Sh26.6B to rescue the ailing Kenya Airways (KQ).

The leaders termed the move as a waste of government funds noting that they would reject Treasury’s request to bail out the country’s airline courier. They termed as immoral the move to deny IEBC funds to conduct free and fair elections and instead bail out the airline that had been brought down by poor management.

Speaking in Naivasha, the leaders from UDA, Ford-Kenya and ANC vowed to push the matter further noting that there were suffering Kenyans who deserved the funds. According to Senator Kithure Kindiki, the move by the Treasury was illegal as Kenya Airways was a private institution. The Tharaka Nithi Senator noted that there were thousands of Kenyans who were sleeping hungry, but the Government had ignored them for the loss-making airline.

“Unlike this government that has decided to use taxpayers' cash to bail our loss-making companies like Kenya Airways, the hustler government will not go that way,” he said.

This was echoed by Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa who termed the move as daylight robbery targeting poor Kenyans. He wondered why Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission was denied funds it had requested yet the treasury had moved in to bail out Kenya Airways.

“For years the Government has bailed out loss-making Kenya Airways at the expense of thousands of suffering Kenyans and this is very wrong,” he said.

On his part, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruyot said parliament should reject a request by the Treasury seeking clearance to bail out the airline.