Nairobi News

Kisumu Governor Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o is fuming after paying Sh19,000 for one-way flight from Nairobi to Kisumu.

In a protest letter to Safarilink Aviation, the governor termed the charges as exorbitant, adding that the airline overcharged him.

The governor had booked a flight at 7am on Friday, February 3, when his secretary informed him of the local airline’s high charges.

“She told me all was well except that the airline was asking for Sh19,000 for one-way flight from Nairobi to Kisumu,” the governor’s protest letter read in part.

I am issuing this statement to protest the excessively high flight charges by @Flysafarilink .
In view of this, I have instructed the staff of the @KisumuCountyKE Government not to use Safarilink for any trip, from today, 9th February, 2023. pic.twitter.com/jwl3sXG6A7

— Gov. Anyang' Nyong'o (@AnyangNyongo) February 9, 2023

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According to Prof Nyong’o, the usual air ticket charges should range between Sh5,500 and Sh7,000.

“I called one of the managers and protested. But since I had to travel for an urgent meeting in Kisumu, we paid the Sh19,000,” he said.

“Why is the airline ripping off its passengers to collect obscene profits from a gullible public?” he paused.

He went ahead to call on the consumer protection agency, the Competition Authority of Kenya, to act against the extortion by the local airline.

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He also instructed Kisumu county staff to boycott the airline in the future.

“In view of this, I have instructed the County Government of Kisumu staff not to use the airline for any trip, from today, Thursday, February 9,” he said.

Nairobi News has established that a return ticket from Nairobi to Kisumu on the same airline costs Sh13,000.

By the time of publishing this story, Safarilink Aviation were yet to respond to Prof Nyong’o’s claims.

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