Jambojet Board appoints Karanja Ndegwa acting MD

Mr Karanja Ndegwa incoming Jambojet acting MD

Kenya Airways subsidiary Jambojet has appointed Karanja Ndegwa as the airline’s acting Managing Director from May 1 2020.

The current Chief Operations Officer will be taking over from Allan Kilavuka who has since been appointed Kenya Airways Plc Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

 “We are grateful Mr. Ndegwa has accepted to continue serving as the Chief Financial Officer even as he takes on the new role of acting Managing Director. We wish to thank Mr. Kilavuka for his dedication and service to Jambojet,” said Vincent Rague, Chairman, Board of Directors, Jambojet.

Ndegwa is a graduate of Economics and Statistics from the University of Nairobi as well as a Certified Public Accountant. He has over 20 years’ experience in the aviation industry, 12 of which have been in leadership positions.

Prior to joining Jambojet in 2014, he worked at Kenya Airways in different capacities, rising to the position of Manager - Revenue Accounting. He served as the Head of Finance at Jambojet, before being appointed the Chief Financial Officer of the airline in 2016.

Mr. Ndegwa has been instrumental to Jambojet growth, setting up the finance organization during Jambojet’s inception and has been involved in strategy development and implementation. His key strengths are in financial planning and reporting, airline business/commercial strategy, capacity building, strategic management and revenue management.

He is taking over at a time when the airline has scaled down domestic and international operations following the effects of corona virus.

In addition to the cancellation of Uganda and Rwand flights, the low cost airline has also suspended its local flights.

The cancellation followed an announcement by President Uhuru Kenyatta on the cessation of all movement by road, rail or air in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale counties for the next 21 days.

President Uhuru has declared Nairobi, Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi counties Covid-19 hotspots and banned movement and in out of them for the next 21 days.

In his address to the nation on Monday evening, the President said that Nairobi accounted for 82 per cent of the total infections while the Coastal counties account for 14 per cent hence the order.