Chiwaya falls victim to KIA confusion

Firefighters who assist physically challenged persons to disembark from airplanes at Kamuzu International airport (KIA) on Sunday refused to assist deputy speaker of Parliament Clement Chiwaya to get off a flight over non-payment of risk allowance.

The firefighters are demanding an unspecified risk allowance and protection from the Department of Civil Aviation in the wake of the Ebola threats.

Speaking in an interview with Weekend Nation, Chiwaya, who spent close to two hours in a South African Airways plane, said much as he was surprised with the time he spent in the aeroplane on the day, he does not want to be drawn into KIA’s internal wrangles.

Explained Chiwaya: “It’s unfortunate that some people want to advance their agenda over my disability. I am sorry to say that somebody is failing to do their job properly; but it’s sad to use people of my state to act or react to certain circumstances. I wish people were treated equally in public places like airports regardless of their disabilities.”

One of the disgruntled firefighters who did not want to be identified said they have been demanding risk allowances since 2011 to no avail.

“In our airports, physically challenged and sick people are assisted by firefighters without any form of protection. This is why we’ve been demanding a small risk allowance all this time. The problem now is that with the Ebola threats we aren’t even given any protection nor information on prevention measures,” explained the firefighters.

He further stated that that the firefighters were surprised when Civil Aviation authorities demanded a report on the Chiwaya issue.

“Ever since we started demanding for risk allowances, the powers that be have interdicted all union leaders for simply championing our cause. We carry chronically sick passengers on our shoulders without even hand gloves or mouth masks,” he said.

Director for Civil Aviation Alfred Mtilatila refused to comment on the matter and referred Weekend Nation to the airport commandant Don Chimtengo.

Chimtengo, while confirming the Chiwaya incident, said the issue is not about non-payment of risk allowances, rather the firefighters are not comfortable with the reforms he brought to the department.

“When I came in, I found so many loopholes and there was a lot of laxity in the way people approached work here. So, when I started to tighten the screws, I became a nemesis,” he explained.

He further stated that passenger-handling issues at airports in the country fall under the jurisdiction of Lilongwe Handling Company (Lihaco) and that the firefighters “are barking at a wrong tree”.

“I have notified Lihaco, through an impromptu facilitation meeting we had today (Wednesday), that the Civil Aviation has stopped handling passengers forthwith,” disclosed Chimtengo.

In a separate interview, Lihaco general manager Francis Mkoloma confirmed that passenger handling falls under his company’s responsibility, but lamented the position taken by Civil Aviation.

“The stand taken by the Civil Aviation is ill-timed because our men aren’t properly trained in this. The other problem is that our equipment is not serviceable and that’s why we always ask and rely on our colleagues at Civil aviation to provide us with firemen to assist sick and disabled passengers to disembark from planes,” stated Mkoloma.

He also disclosed that the passenger aid unit at KIA is broken and that a special chair that his company secured as an improvisation went missing after it was accidentally left in an aeroplane.

The Weekend Nation could not get an immediate reaction from the Ministry of Transport on the issue.