Mohammed Hersi . A hotelier passionate about Tourism & Governance in Africa

The call by KQ staff through their union to strike is in very bad taste.

Very many players have worked very hard for this Nairobi / New York flight . I am not suggesting that union issues are ignored , far from it .

Why does the union want to make it look like the Nbi / NY is a one off flight ? It’s like if  they don’t get a deal before this flight then  it is the end of negotiations , It is not . They are already doing long haul Nairobi London . Nbi Guangzou etc. I am pretty sure the management will strike a deal.

KQ is just getting out of its financial troubles yet the same staff were all silent when the airline was literally destroyed by inept leadership that ended with one of the largest loss any corporate has ever registered in Kenya. KQ was looted to the core with all kind of financial malpractice you could imagine. They were all silent then.

Banks have turned their loans into equity reluctantly , is this how to reward that sacrifice ? GOK is bailing you out with tax payers money , is this the reward you are giving us ?

The staff at KQ must get serious and I am afraid this time round you are treading on dangerous grounds. Your call for a strike is nothing but sabotage and ought to be dealt with accordingly. Union issues is work in progress and should not be allowed to jeopardise our first Nairobi / New York flight. We have worked so tireless to get it on the  runway ready for take off  and any hurdle placed on its way is nothing but pure sabotage and lack of patriotism.

We should borrow a leaf from Singapore Airline when staff repeatedly called for strike and Lee Kuan Yew then Prime Minister read the riot act . He clearly said that he was willing to ground the airline to teach them a lesson , since he has had enough. I think it’s high time we dealt with these bad apples once and for all.

Well as always I choose to remain an optimist that common sense will prevail

Mohammed Hersi
Chairman
Kenya Tourism Federation