by Peter Orengo
A Kenya Airways employee will have the court to thank for saving his job after it quashed an attempt to fire him for security breaches.
Gire Ali, a security officer with KQ, was suspended by the airline for taking a video of over 200 Chinese arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The video sent panic in Kenya and was deemed alarming in the wake of the coronavirus which has ravaged China and other parts of the world.
Following his suspension and imminent arrest, Gire Ali sort the protection of the law claiming his action was in public interest.
A court in Nairobi has since nullified his suspension after the airlines punished him for filming a China Southern Airlines plane at the JKIA.
Also, the court has issued orders preventing the Office of the Director of Prosecutions from arresting Mr Ali or taking any other action against him.
Through his lawyer Danstan Omari, Ali had sued his KQ for suspending him for filming the plane which landed with 239 passengers from China.
Ali, who works as the Assistant Security Agent had accused KQ of punishing him in a matter of public interest. He argues that he never contravened any law, regulations or procedures. He also told the court that there was a plan to arrest and charge him.
While speaking to KTN News earlier on, lawyer Danstan Omari said that they had lined up various respondents in the case. They include Kenya Airways, Kenya Airports Authority, Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecutions, ODPP, Ministry Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Defence among many others.
According to Omari, Ali’s actions ought to be lauded and he should be celebrated for awakening the Kenyan authorities from a deep slumber. He argued that the viral video sparked public and media outcry hence this forced the Government to start treating the issue of Coronavirus with concern.
Yesterday, Kenya Airways defended its decision to suspend Mr Ali arguing that he had breached the safety regulations and procedures set by the KAA.
In its statement, KQ said that he would continue enjoying his rights as an employee and would be entitled to his full salary, as it continues with the investigations.
Omari faulted KQ’s move to give the employee full salary arguing that their move had sinister motives because it was against the labour laws.
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