TV presenter Linda Oguttu almost lost control of her evening show Wednesday night when she took a swipe at Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.
This was after Babu attacked former Kenya Airways (KQ) marketing director, Chris Diaz, during a discussion on the KQ strike, which paralysed operations for several hours on Wednesday.
Diaz was speaking on behalf of the East African Business Council. Babu and Diaz had a difference of opinion on the Kenya Airports Authority-KQ merger plan and Babu went ahead to call Diaz names.
Linda Ogutu intervened, saying she would not allow Babu to attack guests. She said,
IF YOU CAN’T USE CIVILISED LANGUAGE, THEN YOU CAN LEAVE THE SET.
But Babu was having none of it and responded by saying:
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CIVILISATION?
Ogutu called for a break after the tiff.
Owino could be seen removing his mic but did not leave the set. When they resumed, Linda informed viewers that the two had agreed to be cordial. Diaz had said:
I DON’T THINK THE PROPOSED MERGER HAS BEEN FINALISED, AT LEAST FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM STAKEHOLDERS. KQ NEEDS TO WORK ON A RIGHT STRATEGY THAT WILL RETURN IT TO ITS WINNING WAYS. THE CARRIER ALSO NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT A LOT OF PRIVATE SECTOR PEOPLE FLY ON KQ. KQ MANAGEMENT SHOULD ALSO GET THE RIGHT PARTNERS TO WORK WITH IT.
Babu had a different take, saying:
KLM IS THE BIGGEST SHAREHOLDER AT KQ. THE ONLY SALVATION WE CAN HAVE IS KAA TAKING OVER KQ AND NOT KQ TAKING OVER KAA. IT SHOULDN’T HAPPEN THAT WAY. KQ HAS BEEN MAKING LOSSES YEAR IN-YEAR OUT. THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN KQ AND KAA IS A STALE MARRIAGE; A MARRIAGE THAT WILL NOT GIVE US BABIES. KENYANS SHOULD NOT ALLOW JKIA BETAKEN OVER BY KQ.
Yesterday, airport workers went on strike to protest against the possible takeover of KAA by KQ.