RETREAT WITH SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ROAD AND TRANSPORT

Last Friday, the Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO) participated in a Retreat with the Senate Standing Committee on Roads and Transport, where key stakeholders engaged in high-level discussions on safeguarding Kenya’s aviation infrastructure, with particular focus on Wilson Airport as a strategic national asset.

The retreat brought together the State Department for Aviation and Aerospace Development (SDAAD), the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), and industry stakeholders to deliberate on the opportunities and challenges facing the aviation sector.

During the discussions, KAAO highlighted two priority issues requiring urgent government intervention: the ongoing rehabilitation works at Wilson Airport and the increasing encroachment around the airport, including developments that infringe on the protected Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) and land originally reserved for the airport’s future expansion.

A key focus of the discussions was the protection of Wilson Airport—a strategic national asset that sits at the heart of Kenya’s domestic aviation ecosystem and serves as the gateway to the Magical Kenya tourism circuit. Protecting its operational integrity is therefore critical to the continued growth of both the aviation and tourism sectors.

The Association urged the Senate Committee to support decisive action in protecting Wilson Airport, stressing that where there is non-compliance, there must be enforcement. KAAO called for urgent enforcement of aviation safety requirements, including action against developments that infringe protected OLS, to preserve the safety, capacity, and long-term sustainability of one of Kenya’s most important aviation assets.