This archive report was first published on 14 November 2019.
On June 30, a tragic incident shook the world when a body fell 3,500 feet into a London garden, narrowly missing a man and creating a crater. The victim was later identified as Paul Manyasi, a 29-year-old cleaner from Kakamega county, Kenya.
According to a report by Sky News, Manyasi was employed by Colnet Cleaning Services at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where he was tasked with cleaning the Boeing 787 that took off for Heathrow Airport.
However, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) denied that Manyasi was their employee, sparking a security scandal in Kenya. The denial has raised several questions, including the possibility of a cover-up to avoid embarrassment and economic damage to the government, KAA, and Kenya Airways (KQ).
Security analyst Mwenda Mbijiwe warned that the incident could lead to a downgrading of JKIA's status, which could have severe economic implications for Kenya. In a statement, Mbijiwe said:
“Whether the Kenya Airports Authority accepts or denies it, this is likely to lead to the downgrading of the direct US flights,”
Furthermore, the security breach could complicate Kenyan relations, particularly with the United States, which recently granted Kenya Category 1 status, allowing flights to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.
A journalist involved in the Sky News investigation revealed that a KAA officer had called, appealing to them not to damage the image of the airport and the country.
