Kenya Airways jet at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
BY SAM ALFAN.
Kenya Airways pilots have been stopped from proceeding with their planned strike next week even as the airline files a contempt of court application against the pilots’ association officials.
Employment and Labour Court Judge Nduma Nderi yesterday granted orders stopping the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA), from proceeding with a strike to push for the resignation of the National carrier’s Chairman, Ambassador Dennis Awori, and chief executive Mbuvi Ngunze.
Lawyer Geoffrey Obura argued that Kapla has violated a consent entered in court on June 2, where they undertook not to call a strike.
“The strike notice and the reasons given are both in contempt of the court order. The resignation of Ambassador Awori and Mr Ngunze, as demanded by Kalpa, are not acts within the control of the airline,” explained lawyer Obura.
He said Kenya Airways has service contracts worldwide which any industrial action will adversely affect occasioning inevitable financial losses.
Meanwhile, in the contempt of court application, Kenya Airways is seeking to have Kapla’s Paul Gichinga (secretary general), Njoroge Murimi (chairman), and Timothy Njoroge (vice chairman) jailed for six months for violating the June 2, consent.
The consent provided that Kapla agreed to withdraw the strike, Kenya Airways was not to take any action against Kapla members for participating in the strike of April 28, 2016 and that in the event of default by either party, the aggrieved party was at liberty to move the court for appropriate orders.
The lawyer was directed to serve Kalpa with the court papers.
The contempt of court application will be heard on October 26, while the application challenging last week’s strike notice will be heard on November 2.
