By: Abdillahi Alawy
Washington DC, USA
We are extending our deepest condolences to all families and friends who are directly affected by the recent tragic crash of the Kenya Airways jetliner in Cameroon. It could be that mistakes were made, rules not followed, or just fate visiting on us through the mighty hand of God. It is very possible that terrorism was not the cause for this crash and thorough God we all pray for the souls of our departed. May they rest in eternal peace.
Kenya Airways is one of the best managed companies in Africa. Truly, it is the pride of Africa air travel and services. And it is this dimension which makes it believable that this was purely an accident beyond the control of the airline. It’s hard but let us remember that the Abidjan-Nairobi is not a new route for Kenya Airways and many more of these daily flights have made it through reliably and safely.
About six years ago, I took this same Kenya Airways flight out of Abidjan that had a stopover in Douala, Cameroon. I had visited six countries in West Africa that were implementing my foundation’s programs in Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. After a rigorous month, I returned home via this KQ flight that was fully manned by a Kenyan crew. I have never taken a friendlier flight since.
You will be surprised that although a Kenyan airliner, there were hardly any Kenyans flying on that flight. This particular night-flight is popular with many nationalities across the continent and the world. But the all-Kenyan crew was friendly and represented their airline very proudly. Half the cabin crew were male and half were female and formed a mixed group of Muslims, Christians and people from all over Kenya as far as Gazi in the south coast to Baringo in the Rift Valley. Indeed we had a very smooth ride from Abidjan to Nairobi.
And many more KQ flights have been like that. Meaning they have been safe, friendly and profoundly efficient in a professional manner. Even the pilots charmed their way into the cabin to help us kill the humid African night over the continent.
However, KQ Flight 507 was never meant to be that way for reasons that are only known to God. In January of 2000, KQ Flight 431 also crashed with more fatalities than last weeks. In due time, science will be called upon to explain the accident. But we take solace in the fact that God has called on His children. A call we will all receive eventually.
There are several expressions out there from our press and some from our leaders that in light of what has just happened we should leave this route. They want KQ to abandon the West Africa market and look elsewhere. Strong theories are being discussed to the effect that the Cameroon airport facilities are below standards and this may be what caused the accident.
Future evidence may actually suggest that most of the West African airports that Kenya Airways utilizes have significant safety deficiencies. That the flight went down less than six kilometers from the edge of the runway. Yet it took 2 days for the rescue teams to locate the wreckage thus missing the chance to save lives of those who did not die immediately. Evidently, some basic aviation equipment ought to have located this plane in seconds not days. We will be shocked over and over again by what our West Africa hosts define as international airports.
Specifically, a lot more evidence against the Cameroonian aviation authority will come out in the next few days. But the bottom line is that 114 people have perished and many families are mourning in agony. Even from here, I look at the pictures of Elizabeth Achieng Ong`ondo, one of the dead KQ hostess, and feel the devastating pain that has befallen her family. I read Captain Leticia Bwemelo’s story, another dead KQ 507 passenger from Tanzania, and how her husband, Captain John A. Jumla, is agonizing over his beloved wife's death--and shed tears of pain. May God give all the bereaved families patience and strong faith.
Definitely it is a very sad time for all the families and the staff of Kenya Airways. Kudos to Mr. Titus Naikumi, Kenya Airways CEO, and the Kenya’s Minister of Transport, Mr. Chirau Mwakwere, for their humility and speedy conduct of the Kenyan response. These two leaders also assured us that Kenya Airways will not disrupt its services to the region as a result of KQ 507.
Without question, it will be more tragic if we take this accident as a reason to cancel KQ services to West Africa. West and east African travelers desperately need this link. Kenya Airways is the hope of many travelers to/from that region because there are hardly any reliable airlines in most of the West African countries.
Air Afrique, which connected many of the West African countries a few years ago went bankrupt. Many travelers are usually stranded for days at these airports. We know of stories where some Kenyan cabinet ministers have taken commuter buses to go from one country to another within that region because of chronic flights delays. In West Africa if you are stranded at an airport you will have to wait for days not hours. Yet, this may not be a very good reason to risk passengers’ lives just to help this region.
Still, Kenya Airways is a pioneering presence of air travel in this region. KQ acts as a link and a lifeline for many individuals who catalyze development projects for both these regions. If you only look at the list of the ill-fated passengers you will notice the diverse combination of traders, journalists, philanthropists, physicians, and tourists. If KQ is persuaded to abandon these potential innovators and investors Kenya will be doing this at the loss of not only West Africa but the whole continent.
In the sense of African economy, Kenya is a leader in many respects. Call it the Tiger of the East African economies or the peace broker of the horn, there are some roles that we must sacrifice for. And it is not a favour we are doing our neighbours but it is our calling. Kenya Airways should not discontinue its strong presence in the West African market.
By the promise of our transportation minister, Hon. Ali Chirau Mwakwere, who was among the very first official to walk in the Cameroonian swamp of death, we should pray, mourn, investigate, but also move on. Mr. Mwakwere strongly believes that Kenya Airways should continue its services in West Africa and this route is key to the region.
Kenya Airways is one of the best managed companies in Africa. Truly, it is the pride of Africa air travel and services. And it is this dimension which makes it believable that this was purely an accident beyond the control of the airline. It’s hard but let us remember that the Abidjan-Nairobi is not a new route for Kenya Airways and many more of these daily flights have made it through reliably and safely.
About six years ago, I took this same Kenya Airways flight out of Abidjan that had a stopover in Douala, Cameroon. I had visited six countries in West Africa that were implementing my foundation’s programs in Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. After a rigorous month, I returned home via this KQ flight that was fully manned by a Kenyan crew. I have never taken a friendlier flight since.
You will be surprised that although a Kenyan airliner, there were hardly any Kenyans flying on that flight. This particular night-flight is popular with many nationalities across the continent and the world. But the all-Kenyan crew was friendly and represented their airline very proudly. Half the cabin crew were male and half were female and formed a mixed group of Muslims, Christians and people from all over Kenya as far as Gazi in the south coast to Baringo in the Rift Valley. Indeed we had a very smooth ride from Abidjan to Nairobi.
And many more KQ flights have been like that. Meaning they have been safe, friendly and profoundly efficient in a professional manner. Even the pilots charmed their way into the cabin to help us kill the humid African night over the continent.
However, KQ Flight 507 was never meant to be that way for reasons that are only known to God. In January of 2000, KQ Flight 431 also crashed with more fatalities than last weeks. In due time, science will be called upon to explain the accident. But we take solace in the fact that God has called on His children. A call we will all receive eventually.
There are several expressions out there from our press and some from our leaders that in light of what has just happened we should leave this route. They want KQ to abandon the West Africa market and look elsewhere. Strong theories are being discussed to the effect that the Cameroon airport facilities are below standards and this may be what caused the accident.
Future evidence may actually suggest that most of the West African airports that Kenya Airways utilizes have significant safety deficiencies. That the flight went down less than six kilometers from the edge of the runway. Yet it took 2 days for the rescue teams to locate the wreckage thus missing the chance to save lives of those who did not die immediately. Evidently, some basic aviation equipment ought to have located this plane in seconds not days. We will be shocked over and over again by what our West Africa hosts define as international airports.
Specifically, a lot more evidence against the Cameroonian aviation authority will come out in the next few days. But the bottom line is that 114 people have perished and many families are mourning in agony. Even from here, I look at the pictures of Elizabeth Achieng Ong`ondo, one of the dead KQ hostess, and feel the devastating pain that has befallen her family. I read Captain Leticia Bwemelo’s story, another dead KQ 507 passenger from Tanzania, and how her husband, Captain John A. Jumla, is agonizing over his beloved wife's death--and shed tears of pain. May God give all the bereaved families patience and strong faith.
Definitely it is a very sad time for all the families and the staff of Kenya Airways. Kudos to Mr. Titus Naikumi, Kenya Airways CEO, and the Kenya’s Minister of Transport, Mr. Chirau Mwakwere, for their humility and speedy conduct of the Kenyan response. These two leaders also assured us that Kenya Airways will not disrupt its services to the region as a result of KQ 507.
Without question, it will be more tragic if we take this accident as a reason to cancel KQ services to West Africa. West and east African travelers desperately need this link. Kenya Airways is the hope of many travelers to/from that region because there are hardly any reliable airlines in most of the West African countries.
Air Afrique, which connected many of the West African countries a few years ago went bankrupt. Many travelers are usually stranded for days at these airports. We know of stories where some Kenyan cabinet ministers have taken commuter buses to go from one country to another within that region because of chronic flights delays. In West Africa if you are stranded at an airport you will have to wait for days not hours. Yet, this may not be a very good reason to risk passengers’ lives just to help this region.
Still, Kenya Airways is a pioneering presence of air travel in this region. KQ acts as a link and a lifeline for many individuals who catalyze development projects for both these regions. If you only look at the list of the ill-fated passengers you will notice the diverse combination of traders, journalists, philanthropists, physicians, and tourists. If KQ is persuaded to abandon these potential innovators and investors Kenya will be doing this at the loss of not only West Africa but the whole continent.
In the sense of African economy, Kenya is a leader in many respects. Call it the Tiger of the East African economies or the peace broker of the horn, there are some roles that we must sacrifice for. And it is not a favour we are doing our neighbours but it is our calling. Kenya Airways should not discontinue its strong presence in the West African market.
By the promise of our transportation minister, Hon. Ali Chirau Mwakwere, who was among the very first official to walk in the Cameroonian swamp of death, we should pray, mourn, investigate, but also move on. Mr. Mwakwere strongly believes that Kenya Airways should continue its services in West Africa and this route is key to the region.
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