Press Release by Kipchumba Murkomen on Kenya Airways Pilots Strike

Yesterday (4th November 2022), in the company of my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Labour Hon. Florence Bore, we engaged the management of Kenya Airways and the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) in a 5-hour discussion to avert the current strike.

During the meeting, we listened to the concerns raised by the pilots with a view of coming up with a solution that would prevent the strike.

The management of Kenya Airways further expressed willingness to openly engage in extensive negotiations to address the grievances raised by the pilots.

As a result, a committee was proposed, to be chaired by the Principal Secretary for Labour Eng. Peter Tum, with a clear mandate of engaging KALPA and Kenya Airways on ways of addressing the pressing issues that have occasioned the strike.

We requested the pilots to call off the strike even as the proposed committee addresses their concerns.

KALPA officials asked for a two-hour time off to consult on the matter. Unfortunately, they did not heed the calls to suspend the strike which has led to massive disruptions in Kenya Airways operations.

The action taken by the pilots, considering the economic challenges and the biting drought, is akin to economic sabotage.

This morning, I visited the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and was saddened to learn that so far, over 15 flights have been cancelled and 10,000 passengers stranded.

It is estimated that the airline will lose Ksh300 million daily as a result of the strike which is counterproductive if you consider the demands made by the pilots.

Apart from that, the strike will negatively affect the economy, especially the transport and tourism sectors.

I have been briefed by the Kenya Airways management that they are working with other airlines to reroute some of the connecting passengers, even as we seek a lasting solution to the challenge at hand.

Based on the foregoing, I urge KALPA to consider the following;

1. That they should obey the court order that suspended the strike and give the established Committee a chance to work on resolving their grievances.
2. That the Government of Kenya has injected billions of shillings in its efforts to turn around the fortunes of Kenya Airways, and is, therefore, keen to see these issues resolved. For progress to be made on this front, therefore, it is imperative that KALPA calls off the strike and returns to the negotiation table.

Already, the Government is thinking of ways to restructure Kenya Airways and make it a self-sustaining company with a more responsive working environment where it will protect the welfare of the pilots and where the pilots will not hold the company hostage.

I wish to extend my sincere apologies to all the passengers and transporters who have been affected by the strike.

As a Ministry, we will continue to do everything possible to ensure this impasse is resolved as fast as possible.

Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen, EGH
CABINET SECRETARY