Former Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph could join Kenya Airways board following elections for new directors yesterday at the airline's annual general meeting.
Joseph, who has been credited with the success of revolutionary product M-Pesa, will replace Vincent Ragwe who did not seek re-election.
Government seats on the board held by Treasury Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge and his Transport counterpart Irungu Nyakera are also up for replacement.
Shareholders rapped the government for "threatening" the airline's managers and using its muscle in the board to alter its composition. Results of the vote will be published on Wednesday.
"Refrain from threatening people so that they can work. No threats should be personalised. Mauve (Kenya Airways CEO) must be given space to work," shareholder Jones Nzau said.
The voting process was, however, interrupted briefly by some shareholders who sought to know the whereabouts of Joseph. He had sent a representative to present his profile at the meeting. KQ chairman Dennis Awori pleaded with shareholders to endorse Joseph's candidature.
"We cannot elect people who are at home sleeping," a shareholder said.
Investor Alloys Chami told off PS Nyakera, and asked him to talk to his boss (Cabinet Secretary James Macharia) so that he can give KQ management room to do its work.
"It is not good for your CS to say, as we read in media reports that it will overhaul the board. These are threats," he said.
The three seats on the board fell vacant on rotational basis. It is widely expected that the three, Joseph, Nyakera and Thugge will be on the board since there were no other contenders.
Some shareholders asked the board to rethink the joint venture with KLM, noting that the partnership does not favour KQ.
Former employee and investor Captain Chege said KLM has been given too much power in the board, giving other shareholders a raw deal.
"KLM is the big elephant in this room. Anytime anything is done it is KLM which gains," he said.
Ngunze, however, assured the airline's owners that the deal was good but not without problems. Citing his own marriage, Ngunze said every union has its own struggles and shareholders should therefore not vilify KLM out of ignorance.
