Kenya Airways plane at JKIA. The new proposal is expected to turn around the fortune of the national carrier. Photo/File President Uhuru Kenyatta will have a key role in the management of the loss-making Kenya Airways in the proposed nationalisation plan.
The roles are spelt out in the National Aviation Management Bill, 2020, which portends a major shake-up in the aviation industry when it becomes law.
The President will chair a powerful National Civil Aviation Council. The council is part of the proposals to make KQ a parastatal.
Uhuru is keen to implement his aviation agenda which is to ensure that Nairobi remains the gateway to Africa. The agenda is also intended to increase aviation revenue and create jobs.
The President’s idea is to grow earnings from the sector to Sh200 billion and double the passenger numbers to eight million in five years.
Cabinet Secretaries for Transport, Interior, National Treasury as well as the Attorney General, and Kenya Airforce Commander are the proposed members of the council.
The council will create policies relating to the aviation sector and also assess the country’s actual and potential civil aviation capabilities.
Further, the President will appoint the board chairperson of the proposed Kenya Aviation Corporation – the apex aviation body.
The AG, National Treasury and Transport CSs, corporation CEO, managing directors of Kenya Airways and Kenya Airports Authority and four independent non-executive appointees of the Transport CS will be members of the corporation board.
By the enactment of this legislation, the Kenya Airports Authority Act will be repealed, meaning KAA and KQ board members’ terms will lapse.
The National Assembly Transport Committee chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing – who mid-wifed the Bill, said there would be no job losses.“There will be more flights, hence more ground handlers, more hotels, more crew and so on. Nobody is targeted to lose jobs in the new structure,” the MP told the Star Sunday.“The current arrangement provides for board directorship at one level. We will no longer have boards at KQ and KAA.”This means that once signed, the Public Service Commission will recruit the personnel to join the new Kenya Airways.“We intend to deliver the Bill by August. It sits well within the plan to revive the economy post Covid-19,” Pkosing said.The board will provide oversight in the management of the corporation, as well as develop and oversee its strategy, and approve budget.It will also approve JKIA user charges, determine salaries and wages of […]