2.7 million is what I make, and not 8 million-Kenya Airways CEO clarifies

Kenya Airways has had a disastrous week, what with the strike that affected JKIA, that resulted in many flights being canceled and others re-routed.

Also, a lot of bad press had been circulating online concerning the airline that the CEO has now decided to speak on.

Kenya Airways chief executive Sebastian Mikosz has dismissed information circulating on social media that the national carrier is dominated by foreign employees and consultants who are paid outrageously high salaries.

In a memo to the KQ staff, Mikoz said that out of the 3,000 employees of the company, only 18 are expatriates working as employees and consultants.

"This is approximately 0.6% of the entire KQ staff. This is a fact," he said.

"Of the 18 employees, 5 are KLM managers seconded to KQ. Two of them are occupying senior positions: The Chief Operating Officer and the Head of Global Sales," he detailed, adding that "although they work for KQ, they remain KLM employees."

This means their remunerations and other employment benefits are covered by KLM airlines, he added.

On the diversity of the top management, the KQ boss said that only 7 foreigners are part of the management team.

"Of the Top 50 managers 7 are foreigners, representing just 14% of the leadership team," he said.

On the issue about salaries, the CEO said that he, in fact, earns Shs2.7 million per month not Shs8 million as stated in the statement that is now widely shared in the social media.

He attributed the said statement to KAWU, the trade union outfit for the airport workers in the country who have been on strike.

"This deliberate action was done with the sole purpose of fueling negative public opinion towards myself, the KQ family, its management and employees," he said.

Mikosz told the staff in the memo that his employment and remuneration at the KQ is based on Kenyan laws and that he pays an income tax of 29 percent monthly.

He reiterated that his employment benefits are at the discretion of the flag carrier's board, dismissing the claims that he has had a salary increment since he was hired in June 2017.

Mikosz also dismissed as false the allegations that his wife sits in the board of Delloite Kenya that is claimed to audit KQ.

"My wife does not and has never worked for Deloitte Kenya. Magda worked as a partner for Deloitte Central Europe in the past. When we moved to Kenya, she decided to stop working, leave Deloitte and support me in my current role," he said.

Mikosz announced that he already instituted legal action "against individuals and groups spreading the defamatory statements" to tame the "misinformation and defamation."

"Let the courts objectively assess the facts and pass judgment," he said.