Kenya's aviation industry is facing a crisis as some airlines continue to operate planes that are not airworthy, sparking outrage from industry players and passengers alike.
According to a veteran engineer based at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, KCAA has failed to strictly enforce rules regarding the inspection, servicing, and regulatory requirements of aircraft.
The engineer, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that had KCAA been executing its mandate as required by law, many of the planes flying today would have been declared as not airworthy.
Some of the planes in question belong to airline operators based at the JKIA, while others are based at Wilson Airport. The engineer alleged that these airlines hardly service their planes as required, and that this negligence by KCAA means the agency has failed to strictly adhere to the International Aviation Traffic Association (IATA) mandatory requirements.
When contacted for comment, KCAA Director General Emile Nguza Arao declined to discuss the matter, citing the sensitivity of the issue and the need for clearance papers.
However, investigations by The Weekly Vision revealed that some of the airlines were so broke that they could not afford to carry out basic standard maintenance procedures on their aeroplanes as required by law. Some employees, both ground and aircrews, have not been paid salaries and allowances for months, crippling their working morale.
As a result, the situation is so dire that the airline operators have failed to pay for jet fuel to keep the aeroplanes in the air, only surviving on credit, which has seen fuel dealers stop supplying them with jet fuel.
