MICHAEL JOSEPH CAN DO IT AT KQ

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><xml> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE </xml><xml> </xml> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> At face value, Kenya Airways airliner bears the corporate identity of “Pride Of Africa”. However, this self-congratulatory esteem is no more.

At this rate, posting net losses in 2013 of US dollar 92 million, Ksh. 6.36 billion in 2014/2015 and Ksh 26.2 billion 2015/2016 consecutively makes the airliner a “shame of Africa”, hence a telling observation.

Besides the wording “The Pride Of Africa”, what comes to the mindset when you read the words or hear them mentioned, is success of the airliner. However, the net losses paint the corporate entity in bad light, coupled with staff threats of strike, perhaps due to mismanagement.

As a testament to the fact that matters were not good at the airliner, the pilots humbled the operations of the KQ planes and threw the travel arrangements of the passengers in disarray.

Thanks to the government’s quick intervensionary measures and the exigencies of the moment that ensured the resumption of flights, amid inconveniencies caused to passengers, same of whom, had to wait for hours on end before their travelling was facilitated.

The appointment of Mr. Michael Joseph could not have come at a better time. As the chief executive officer, he turned around the fortunes of Safaricom making it one of the best corporate entity in terms of business in Africa.

It’s hopeful that Kenya Airways airliner is going to benefit from Mr. Joseph’s resourcefulness, innovation, skills and strategic thinking to objectively lift up the flagging fortunes of once successful airliner in Africa.

If Mr. Joseph did it with the Safaricom, while at the helm, why not at KQ? Obviously there is no obstacle for him to accomplish the same feat at KQ.

We must take cognizance of the importance of labour as a resourceful element at any organization. Labour refers to a pool of human skills. For the new chairman to succeed at KQ, he needs the co-operation, commitment, discipline and good work ethics from the diverse human skills at KQ.

It will be foolhardy to imagine that the new chair at KQ could unilaterally achieve the much needed success without the input of these human skills.

Kenya airways airliner faces stiff competition from other airliners in Africa. In order to compete with them as a level playing field, the new chairman faces a challenge. He needs to get some information on their competitors, as it will behoove him to brainstorm on their strength, weakness and services they offer.

In summation, it’s sincerely hopeful that Mr. Joseph would use his capacity as the chairman, to help stem the tide of losses by ensuring that finances are managed prudently, staff welfare is given priority, and marketing and business is directed accordingly. Success here, depends on how this man at the helm juggles variety of skills and injecting efficiency as work.