KIA dev’t company CEO Mukoma dies with unfulfilled dreams

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According to the executive secretary of the Tanzania Air Operators Association (Taoa), Lawrence Paul, “Mr Mkoma was a man of integrity.

Dar es Salaam. Christopher Mukoma has left unfulfilled his dream of taking the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) to the next level, and put it on the world map of aviation.
Mr Mukoma - who was the managing director of the Kilimanjaro Airports Development Company (Kadco) since October 2017 - died yesterday after a short illness.
“He started feeling unwell about three days ago,” the company’s operations director, Martin Kinyamagoha, told The Citizen on the telephone the same day.
According to the executive secretary of the Tanzania Air Operators Association (Taoa), Lawrence Paul, “Mr Mkoma was a man of integrity.
He was always very happy when Kia was praised for some reason or other.
”Noting that Kia was generally considered an impeccably clean airport in the East African region, Mr Paul said this accolade was often pronounced by assorted dignitaries during Mr Mukoma’s administration of the facility.
“He once told me that his wish was to take Kia to a status for which he would be remembered as his legacy,” Mr Paul told The Citizen - hastily adding: “Now, I don’t know if he achieved that ambition of his.” Stressing that the late Mukoma “used to work very closely, work hand-in-hand, with his subordinates,” Mr Paul - who is himself a member of the national facilitation committee whose task is to oversee the country’s airports - said Mr Mukoma “was not a one-man-show.
Rather, he was a man who worked very closely with everyone at all times.
“He was a man who believed in consultations. He never felt ashamed to say: ‘I don’t know this; what do you think we should do?”
Also, he believed in leading by example, Mr Paul fondly recalls.
“Quite often we would see Kia doing very well indeed under his administration,” he stresses, always ensuring that the airport is clean, and everyone adheres to the regulations and good practices as required by the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao).
Now that the man is, alas, dead, Kadco workers are strongly urged to emulate what he was practising, Paul counseled.
“They have to continue with the vision that Mr Mukoma had of making Kia one of the best-run airports globally as a matter of course,” Mr Paul said.
For his part, the Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) director general, Julius Ndyamukama, said Mr Mukoma was eager to enhance the airport’s cargo handling business especially at this time when countries are imposing restrictions on air travel as the coronavirus pandemic bites.
He said “Mr Mukoma has left us at a critical time when the aviation industry is being hit hard by the pandemic. He was an accomplished aviation expert. People with experience like him are very few,” Mr Ndyamukama who doubles as Kadco’s board member noted.
“His experience and expertise were of paramount importance for the stabilisation and recovery of the business at the airport,” the TAA chief said.
The general manager of Nas-Dar Airco, Miguel Serra which provides ground-handling services at Kia - said Mr Mukoma gave Nas-Dar Airco and the Tanzania Horticultural Association (Taha) much-needed support in April to bring in Ethiopian Airlines to export horticultural commodities from Kia to European markets.
“He was very supportive, since we started operations at Kia in August 2018,” said Mr Serra. “We are totally devastated by his passing away, because he was a gentleman, a professional, always kind and supportive of all stakeholders.
“His death is a big loss for the business. He was an asset for the growth of businesses at Kia.” Commenting on the matter, the director-general of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), Mr Hamza Johari, said “You could not talk of Kadco’s development without mentioning the name of ‘Mr Mukoma.
“His contribution to the aviation industry in Tanzania is significant, as took Kadco to new heights. During his life time, he participated in many national, regional and inter-national meetings,” Mr Johari said.
For his part, the Swissport Tanzania chief executive officer, Mr Mrisho Yassin, said “Mr Mukoma would be remembered for being in favor of the private sector.
“As private sector practitioners, we were happy to work with him,” he said, describing the deceased as “a veteran who knew the industry very well.
Mr Mukoma had worked with Kadco for about 20 years before his death. He was a holder of a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Belorussian Polytechnic Institute.
“His demise has shocked us because it happened so suddenly.”