Macharia: We won’t compromise health to resume flights to Dar

Kenya has maintained that it will not compromise the health of its citizens by putting commercial interests first as it negotiates with Tanzania for national carrier Kenya Airways to resume flights to Dar es Salaam.

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia says that he supports the Ministry of Health’s position that Covid-19 is a matter of life and death and that Kenyans must be protected.

“We are not going to put commercial interests ahead of health matters. Commercial interests are subordinated to health risks,” Mr Macharia said, responding to questions on why Kenya Airways has not been granted permission to fly to Tanzania a week after the government announced it had struck a deal with Dar es Salaam for the resumption of flights.

He said consultations are ongoing and the decisions will be communicated in due course.

Mr Macharia said all the issues had been cleared but being a health-related matter, the concerned ministries will have to agree.

“We met virtually with my brother (Tanzania Transport Minister Isack Kamwelwe) and agreed on everything, including travel issues but, being a health-related issue, it requires concurrence with the respective Health ministers on both sides,” Mr Macharia said.

By Kelvin Mutwiwa

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