Parliament to discuss KQ over Wetangula’s saga

NAIROBI, KENYA: Parliament will on Tuesday discuss the conduct of Kenya Airways staff and future engagement with the airline.

The decision follows a drama on Thursday which saw Cord leader Moses Wetangula ejected from KQ plane on grounds that he had not produced National Identification Card before boarding.

In his argument with the airline staff, Wetangula said he forgot to pick his ID card from the travel bag which his driver and security officer had driven with to Mombasa ahead of him. 

When the staff insisted, he produced his KQ Frequent Flier Platinum Card which bares his name, his parliamentary medical card which has his photo and all the five bank credit cards just to prove that it was him, but none of the staff could here this.

“After a three hour stand-off, we were all asked to board the plane again and departed for Mombasa at 2350 hours, a flight which had been scheduled to take off at 2050 hours,” narrates Wetangula.

“The humiliation and embarrassment I was subjected to at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport last night in the presence of the two Speakers did not augur well with my colleagues present who have vowed to move a motion of adjournment next Tuesday to discuss the misconduct of the KQ staff and decide on any future engagement with the national carrier which enjoys a monopoly of travel services with the two Houses of Parliament,” said Wetangula in a statement to media houses.

Wetangula did not fail to read political mischief in the 2 hour saga saying it was a plot by travel authorities to humiliate leaders especially those in opposition and subject them to unnecessary psychological and emotional torture in public.

Two months ago, CORD leader Mr. Raila Odinga was denied access to the VIP section of the Wilson Airport as he led a team of the coalition leaders to a tour of Taita Taveta County.

Together with Senators Muthama and him and other leaders, he watched as the airport staff locked up the door to the lounge and kept the key.