The Kenya Airways, formally in the name of the East African Airways, owned by Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, was formed in January 1, 1946. The East African Airways was formed 2 years before the three African Nations, Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, were joined together in 1948, into what was called, the East African High Commission, which lasted for 13 years from 1948 to 1961. It changed from East African High Commission to East African Common Services Organization from 1961 to 1967, when the East African Community was formed for the first time. The East African Community broke up 10 years later in 1977. It was after the break-up of the first East African Community in 1977, that the Kenya Airways, Uganda Airways and Tanzania Airways were born. Although the broken East African Community was revived 23 Years later on July 7, 2000, and the actual signing of the treaty of the re – establishment of the community, was done on November 30, 1999, the three Airlines were never joined together, as they were earlier before the break up.
Since the establishment of the Kenya Airways in 1977, it has ran without changing its name. The Kenya Government has retained the largest shares since it’s inception. Although most Airlines across the globe, including the Kenya Airways, experienced financial hardship following the COVID 19 pandemic, Kenya has no convincing reasons at all, to sell it’s only airline, which has been the pride of the Kenyan people. With the newly established direct flights from USA to Kenya, the airline flights have always been fully booked, which means that, with proper management, it can pick up rapidly. Other Nations in the world which were also affected by the COVID 19 pandemic have never surrendered their airlines, why Kenya?.
Kenyans in the Diaspora totally object to the sale of the Kenya airlines, and vows to do all they can to stop it. We also appeal to all our brothers and sisters in Kenya, to resist any attempts by the Kenya Government to sell any of it’s planes. If the late President Magufuli could boost the Tanzania Airways by purchasing additional planes without loans, why would the Kenya Government contemplate surrendering its Airline?. It is a great shame for Kenya to surrender its only airline, when other Nations with several airlines still retain theirs, despite being victims of the effects of the COVID 18 pandemic. The new Kenya Government idea, to surrender the only airline in the Nation, creates a lot of fear about what will be next in line to be surrendered. Will it be the Kenya Ports, the Kenya Railways or the Kenya game parks? How sovereign will Kenya claim to be, after it surrenders all its major money generating facilities to foreigners? We are urging the Kenya Government, to put aside it’s attempts, to surrender the Airways to foreigners. Kenyans in Diaspora and those back home, should resist any such attempts which would ridicule Kenya to economic sabotage and shame.
Dr. Isaac Newton Kinity
Counselor and Human Rights Activist.
Former Secretary General
Kenya Civil Servants Union
