Kenya Airways has defended its proposed partnership with the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), stating the project adheres to the Public Private Partnership Act 2013. The airline emphasized that both parties completed due diligence and confirmed the initiative remains in its early stages without formal negotiations underway.
Opposition lawmakers raised concerns during a 2019 National Assembly session, with Public Investments Committee chairman Abdulswamad Nassir calling the deal a "bad investment". He questioned potential job losses and criticized the decision to partner with a financially strained entity, urging transparency in the process.
The proposal outlines plans to modernize Jomo Kenyatta International Airport through infrastructure upgrades, fleet expansion, and new revenue streams like cargo operations and maintenance facilities. Kenya Airways argued the partnership would address systemic challenges in the aviation sector, including its reliance on government funding.
Critics highlighted Kenya's aviation sector lags behind regional peers, with Ethiopian Airlines contributing 7% and Air Mauritius 5% to GDP compared to KQ's 3%. The airline's 2019 proposal emphasized the need for modernization to compete with regional hubs like Ethiopia and Mauritius.
