Gire Ali, the Kenya Airways employee who was suspended for filming and sharing a video of a China Southern Airlines plane carrying 239 passengers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday, now says he fears for his life.
He was accused by the airline of going against company policy in exposing poor handling and management of passengers arriving from coronavirus-ravaged China.
On Friday, Mr Ali confirmed his suspension as social media went abuzz with the news.
“Yes, what is trending is true. They have suspended me. They have been calling and I’m yet to go and meet the team because someone warned me that my life might be in danger and that they were watching me. I handed over my work identification documents through the fence and left. I fear about what could happen to me,”
A video that went viral on social media shows Southern China Airlines’ Flight CZ 6043 landing at JKIA at 7.29am to a hostile reception that saw medical officials at the airport refuse to screen passengers, who were not allowed to leave the plane for almost an hour.
Kenyans fear that some of the passengers could have contracted the infectious disease, which has spread to over 45 countries, killed more than 2,800 people and infected over 83,000 worldwide, with the vast majority in China.
Kenyans have been furious with the government for allowing flights from China.
They have been calling for the unconditional reinstatement of Mr Ali, calling him a hero for being a whistle-blower.
(H/T Nation