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A Kenya Airways employee who allegedly filmed the arrival of a Southern China Airlines flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has been suspended.
Gire Ali took a video of some of the 239 passengers disembarking from the plane at JKIA on Wednesday.
Kenyans online were furious after the video went viral on social media, with many bashing the government for doing little to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus to the country.
A letter sent to Gire by KQ Chief human resource manager Evelyne Munyoki indicated he was suspended to pave way for further investigations into the matter.
"Following a report of video of China Southern flight arrival at JKIA and circulation of the video clip widely on social media and your alleged involvement in the matter, it has been decided that you be suspended from duty with effect from Feb 27.”
"This is to pave way for further investigations into the matter. During the period of suspension, you will be required to avail yourself to the investigating team.
"You are therefore required to remain contactable and within reach during the period. Also, note that the suspension period will be on full salary," the letter read.
Speaking to Nairobi News on Friday, Gire said: “Yes, it is true, what is trending is true they have suspended me.”
The video showed passengers from the Chinese plane wearing face masks but airport officials handling them did not have any protective gear.
In a tweet, Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr., who is also a lawyer, castigated KQ for suspending the staff, saying he should have been promoted and his boss fired.
“This order will be reversed by any court. Public interest is more important than management interests,” Mutula said on Twitter.
Lawyer Ekuru Aukot said: “As a platinum member with the SkyTeam that includes Kenya Airways, I have canceled my ticket to Kigali because of KQ‘s conspiracy to endanger lives of 47 million Kenyans. Gire Ali is a patriot who exposed #coronavirusInkenya. He should be rewarded. Not suspended.”
He added: “Someone get me Gire Ali’s contacts. Once I get to Nairobi, happy to look for him. He needs to be defended by all Kenyans for the dangers of #coronavirusInkenya are dire! They threaten 48 million Kenyans currently relying on a weak health system.”
Former Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale wrote:” Suspend Mr Gire Ali? He is a mere whistleblower. Now our hero. Kenya Airways, yours is wisdom of fools.”
Comments
That person is the new National Hero, what was JKIA hiding? How many such planes landed in Nairobi now that they have evoked my curiosity and hoepfully all of Kenya.
Thank God for that man - he needs to be protected and fund raise for him too to get on with his life. If I had a company, that is the person I would want as my right hand man - kusema ukweli!
I hope the person who fired this man get fired and the man who took the picture get his job back. We are in a free country. People have rights to voice their needs and concerns. Why is it a secret to prevent people knowing about this flight? After all, there are many other people who saw this flight or knew it was landing in Kenya.
Therefore, Kenya Airways should restore this man job. This is discrimination of one single person - not fair at all.
The only language the Govt of Kenya understands is country-wide mass demo - lets call it Gire-Ali-back-to-work-NOW! or Protect-whistle-blowers.
This is exactly why KQ is in the corporate mess it's in. With such calibre of brains and leadership permeating through its ranks it's no wonder KQ is considered a joke.
How many other flights have landed and why are they being allowed to land.Where are these people going .Wuhan suspended all travel these people circumventing and using all manner of routes need to be stopped by any means necessary.Knowingly spreading the virus should be a crime punishable by death until a cure is found.
I wonder how many more flight from this area managed to secretly to make their way into the country after colluding with corrupt officials at JKIA.
This may not be an isolated case.
Ali stopped a biological warfare from China.A concerned patriot. A quick thinking brave employee while his boss's brain is stagnant.What exactly did he do wrong?It is the management that errored in allowing the plane to land.It should not have allowed to come in the first place.
Gire Ali is our hero. He saved Kenya from mass murder. If he does not get his job back people should contribute small amount to support him. "If You See Something, Say Something" He did it & has won it.