Federation of Kenya Employers is seeking to be enjoined in Matiang’i/security officer airport case filed by Daisy Cherogony

Employers lobby wants to be enjoined in airports security officer Matiang’i matter

The Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) wants to be enjoined in the case in which a former security officer has sued Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) for sacking her after she refused to allow Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i to bypass a security check.

According to fresh documents filed at the Nyeri Labour Relations Court, FKE is seeking to be enjoined in the civil suit filed by Daizy Cherogony who is demanding Sh40, 987,039 for wrongful dismissal.

FKE filed a memorandum of appearance in court on August 31, 2017 seeking to appear on behalf of KAA (Respondent) in the labour dispute.

In her suit, Cherogony avers that her employment was terminated on May 11, 2017 for making the CS to queue for a security check like other passengers.

She was later dismissed in a letter signed by Managing director Jonny Aderson on grounds of misconduct.

Cherogony had earlier on sought Sh2.4 million for the same reason, arguing that she was not given a hearing prior to her dismissal.

In an amended memorandum of claim, Cherogony says she was employed by KAA on February 17, 2006 as a security warden in job grade 11.

"On January 19, I was promoted after an evaluation exercise to a senior warden grade S.4 with a starting salary of Sh23,367 and a house allowance of Sh14,018," averred Cherogony.

On August 31, 2015, she swore she was promoted again to security supervisor grade S.5 with a basic salary of Sh68,767, a house allowance of Sh35,000 and a gross salary of Sh128,900.

Cherogony said on April 5, 2017, there were long queues at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) attracting complaints from travellers when she reported to work.

"The situation became worse as it began raining and traffic increased, yet I had inadequate personnel to manage traffic at the screening point," she said.

She added that on April 6, 2017, she received a verbal request from the airport manager to write a statement and was later questioned about what had happened to Dr Matiang'i on April 5.

In the suit, Cherogony maintained that she did not violate any of the KAA regulations and procedures and as such, her dismissal was unlawful.

She said the CS was accompanied by an airport police inspector and that his security team caused a disturbance as they tried to force their way through instead of waiting in the queue.

In her suit, she swore that she tried to calm the CS down but he informed Transport CS James Macharia about the situation.

"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 do not qualify for preferential treatment unless they hold special passes. The case will be mentioned on September 19.