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Kenya Airways has announced the closure of its booking offices in Johannesburg South Africa and Kisumu on Monday.
In a statement on Sunday, the national carrier said this is due to the scheduled protests in Kenya and South Africa.
“Kenya Airways (KQ) wishes to inform our customers that our town booking offices in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Kisumu, Kenya, will remain closed on Monday, March 20, 2023 and reopen on March 21, 2023 due to the anticipated protests in these cities,” the statement said in part.
It added that the safety and wellbeing of its staff and clients remain its highest priority.
KQ said all other offices within its network including airport offices in Johannesburg and Kisumu will be operational.
It apologised for any inconvenience that may be caused by the closure of the offices.
Kenya and South Africa are among four countries in Africa where nationwide demonstrations have been called on Monday.
Nigeria and Tunisia have also called for mass demonstrations.
Azimio’s Raila Odinga and Julius Malema of the Economic Freedom Fighters have called for nationwide demos aimed at liberating their people.
Raila has cited various reasons including high cost of living, electoral injustice and the need to reintroduce food and fuel subsidies.
Azimio also wants an all-inclusive process of reconstituting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission saying the selection panel is partisan.
Malema’s EFF is protesting against load shedding, high unemployment, poor education and a host of other issues afflicting the nation.
Load-shedding, intentional power rationing, has been part of South Africa’s power grid since 2007.
Raila and Malema have rallied their supporters to pour into the streets in numbers early morning to fight for their rights.
They have termed the demos ‘the mother of all protests’ and said they will not take responsibility in the event that violence breaks out.
“If there will be any violence leading to anyone getting injured, we will not take the blame. It is those who will be responsible that should be blamed,” Raila said on Saturday during a TV interview.
Raila echoed Malema’s sentiments that the security of Kenyans and their property is the duty of the police not organisers of peaceful demonstrations.
“We can’t take responsibility for things we have not sanctioned. We have not sanctioned violence. It is the responsibility of law enforcement to always maintain peace and order in society,” Malema said.