Nairobi, Kenya: Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka faced a similar fate to that of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Saturday night as he flew out of the country.Kalonzo was asked by airport staff to follow the normal procedure and be frisked but his aides acted on time to safe him the embarrassment. However his luggage was screened as staff became adamant on checking the contents of the bags.
The aides spoke to the Emirates Airline officials who gave him an express pass that allows one to access its lounge without passing through the metal detectors and other travel clearance procedure.
He (Kalonzo) arrived at 9pm and was directed to follow the normal procedures but we spoke to Emirates who gave us an express pass for his usage. He was later ushered to the Emirates first class lounge to wait for his flight which was due at 10.50pm, the aide said.
Kalonzo was headed to China where he will attend a Forum for Chinese Entrepreneurs and he will be in Beijing for four days, one day in Hong Kong before spending a night in Dubai. He is expected back in Kenya by Saturday.
Ironically, as he landed in Dubai, Kalonzo was accorded a VIP reception as he waited to transit with a similar fate awaiting him in Beijing. Aides who spoke to The Standard on phone from China said that the former VP had landed safely and accorded VIP treatment.
Last week, there was outrage after Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) officials barred Raila from accessing VIP Lounge III as he flew to Kisumu on Monday morning and Johannesburg on Tuesday night.
Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) later sent a statement clarifying that Raila and other VIPs have unlimited access to the Government lounge normally reserved for Ambassadors and Government VIPs.
JKIA has three VIP Lounges the State Pavilion for the President of Kenya and visiting Heads of State, the VIP III Lounge for the Deputy President of Kenya and Retired heads of state, according to KAA.
Leader of Majority Adan Duale consequently apologized on behalf of Government in parliament over the CORD leaders agony saying the state recognises and will respect Raila Odinga as the countrys former Prime Minister.
The CORD leaders' predicament of being barred from facilities which only three months ago was available to them emanates from a letter written by the Secretary to cabinet Francis Kimemia early last month warning state officers that they will face disciplinary and summary dismissal for nay breach to the memo.Kimemias letter, which was curiously copied to Deputy President William Ruto and not President Uhuru Kenyatta, was prompted by a similar incident when Raila was denied entry into VIP lounge at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa.
He directed KAA that the only exemption will be those cleared by Ministry of Foreign Affairs in liaison with the Office of the President and that other retired Government of Kenya VIPs should be allowed you transit through the Government lounge......Kuna barua nyingine imekamatwa tena
IS THIS NECESSARY................???
Forces behind Raila Odinga's problems at the Airport revealed
A letter from Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia, a copy of which The Standard On Sunday has seen, warns against entry to Airport VIP lounges by unauthorized individuals. The letter is curiously copied to Deputy President William Ruto. Aides of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga have pointed an accusing finger at Kimemia following humiliating episodes at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where he was allegedly denied access to the VIP lounge. The letter dated May 9th 2013, which is addressed to Eng Karanja Kibicho, the former Permanent Secretary for Transport, is copied to Ruto, among other recipients.The letter is dated on 9th May and was acted upon (operationalised via an order to the airport manager) by former Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe who now works at Kenya Airports Authority. Now Railas aides suspect that Ruto may have had a hand in instructing that Raila be barred from accessing the VIP lounges. In normal practice, the individual listed as first recipient of the letter copy is the originator of the order to whom the author seeks to confirm execution of the same. I have great respect for Hon William Ruto and he should not let his political career be killed by the same people leading Raila onslaught. Kimemia, Karanja and Kiraithe are working for their master Uhuru and Ruto should avoid this sycophants and boot lickers. When the same forces were humiliating Moi it was Raila who said Moi should be accorded respect.