Troubled KAA MD Alex Gitari The managing director of Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) Mr. Alex Gitari is a man under siege after finding himself on the radar of powerful State House forces that are out to have him punished for his contribution on Raila Odinga’s presidential campaigns.
Gitari is among prominent individuals who were used by the retired regime to offer financial assistance towards the failed Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) and subsequently, ODM leader’s failed presidential bid where billions of taxpayers’ money was wasted.
Their key role was to facilitate corruption in favor of those who were bootlicking former president Uhuru Kenyatta and frustrating William Ruto’s presidential bid ahead of the August 2022 general election.
It is because of Gitari, general manager HR Anthony Njagi and some rogue CSs like Joe Mucheru and Fred Matiang’i that Ruto, during his campaigns, complained of state capture and promised to crush them once elected president.
But the troubles against Gitari are also coming at a time when a section of KAA workers have threatened to expose him over gross misconduct and high level of looting at the State Agency.
The concerned staff wants Mr. Gitari and Njagi investigated for pumping billions of shillings towards Odinga’s campaign kitty and pocketing heavy kickbacks at the expense of the staff welfare.
Gitari and Njagi got the plum positions through the influence of former powerful Interior PS Karanja Kibicho and the outgoing Transport PS Paul Maringa.
Even the former Transport CS, Mr.James Macharia, who was regarded as Uhuru's untouchable man complained over the circumstances under which Gitari and Njagi got into KAA’s top management.
KAA workers have lamented over impunity being presided over by the two top officials who have demoralized the staff after they conspired to cancel annual salary increments.
The duo has also been accused of negotiating the collective bargain agreement with the workers union but ends up dishonoring such deals.
In 2016 they negotiated with the workers union for 13pc pay increase in salaries but defaulted at the end of that year.
Gitari, Njagi and crooked officers in their cartel were sure that the Odinga they were funding would win the presidency and shield them to continue defrauding KAA but are now scared stiff of the obvious consequences.
KAA board of directors confirmed Gitari as the MD effective July 8 2021 for a three year term despite the agency being linked to numerous scandalous deals under his watch including the scheme to fast-track the handover of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Kenya Airways.
The loss making Kenya Airways had submitted a proposal to KAA to run JKIA for a 30-year period as it pays concession fees to the operator.
Gitari was also part of a shady deal where KAA was planning to pay Chinese firms, Anhui Construction Engineering Group Ltd and China National Aero Technology Engineering Company, Sh56 billion for no work done on a second terminal at the airport.
He was stopped by parliament's public investments committee which cancelled the project in March 2016 after being launched by Uhuru.
The Chinese firm was demanding for Sh17.6 billion as compensation following the cancellation of the contract after it was paid Sh4.2 billion which was never recovered.
Gitari was also part of the ring of cartels that stole and sold the Covid-19 gears that China billionaire Jack Ma donated
to Kenya when Covid-19 was ravaging the country.
The Kenya Civil Society group which claimed that Gitari played a role challenged him to come clean on how the consignment was stolen yet he was part of the government dignitaries who received the donation at the Airport.