Mogadishu (Sahan Post): — Somali prosecutors have opened an investigation into the Turkish Airlines country manager in Mogadishu following complaints from Somali passengers who accuse him of discriminatory and abusive conduct.
The Office of the Attorney General confirmed it is reviewing a case against Turhan Kenmen, the airline’s Somalia station manager, who is alleged to have deliberately offloaded a Somali passenger, Abdifatah Ahmed Hussein, despite the traveller holding a valid ticket and being cleared for departure. Authorities said the case is under active investigation and that legal action will follow once findings are complete.
Kenmen has in recent days faced extensive criticism on Somali social media platforms, where multiple passengers accused him of routinely mistreating Somali travellers, including allegedly humiliating them and forcing some to “plead” to be allowed on flights. Viral posts claim that several passengers have been denied boarding under unclear or arbitrary circumstances.
The complaints come amid wider frustration over the conduct of foreign-run companies operating at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport. Somali staff and passengers have long accused some foreign contractors and managers of discriminatory behaviour and of sidelining local workers.
Last week, the airport’s Somali workforce staged a walkout in protest against Favori LLC, the Turkish company managing Mogadishu’s airport, after reports emerged that the firm intended to replace local staff with workers from Turkey and Uganda. The company has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Much of Somalia’s critical infrastructure, including airports, ports, and revenue-generating hubs, is managed by foreign firms under long-term contracts. Critics say these arrangements generate millions of dollars for external companies while offering limited accountability or benefits to Somali citizens.
The Attorney General’s office said it will release further information once the inquiry into the Turkish Airlines manager concludes.
Discover more from SahanPost - English
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.