A young Ugandan pilot working in Kenya is on the verge of losing his job after the Kenyan aviation authorities declined to endorse his employment.
Captain Ronald Denis D’Ujanga, a South Africa-trained pilot has been hired by airliner Fly540 since mid-2016, but the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) is refusing to give him a letter of no objection in order to allow him work freely, the Observer reports.
On June 21, 2016, the KCAA granted Captain D’Ujanga a commercial pilot license number YK-9921-CL.
According to the license, Captain D’Ujanga is authorised to fly Group One land planes Cessna C172, BE76 and CRJ100 in accordance with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Act and the Air Navigation Regulations and Provisions of the International Convention on Civil Aviation, the report said.
The license authorised Captain D’Ujanga to fly as pilot of aeroplanes in provided he also holds a Current Certificate of Validity in respect of this license and a Flight Radiotelephony Operator License”.
The KCAA granted D’Ujanga the license based on his Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) license number CA1285 issued on September 9, 2013.
After undergoing induction training, he was able to secure a job with Fly540.
In order to formalise his employment, Fly540 chief executive officer, Don E. Smith, on April 28, 2017 wrote to the KCAA for a letter of no objection, a process that is supposed to be a formality since Captain D’Ujanga qualifies for work as a pilot in Kenya.
But the Kenyan aviation authority replied declining to give him a letter of no objection.
“we are not able to grant this letter considering that the above-mentioned (Captain D’Ujanga) is a trainee pilot on the DHC-8 aircraft” this is according to the reply.
The KCAA stated that there are so many other Kenyans who can take over Captain D’Ujanga’s position given the same opportunity, hence advised Fly540 to “source for personnel from the local market in compliance with the requirements of the Aeronautical Information Circular No. 6/2003 of 29th May 2003.
Kenya and Uganda signed the East African Common Market Protocol which allows workers from any partner state to take up employment within and other EAC.
According to the protocol a worker from any partner state cannot be discriminated against on the basis of their nationality.
According to the agreement, professionals from partner states with employment placements do not need to apply for work permits but rather register with national professional associations. Professionals without association can get a job and start working straightaway.
