Govt to Auction 101 Private Aircraft

Planes parked at Wilson Airport.
Planes parked at Wilson Airport.
The Standard

Kenyan tycoons are among people set to lose planes after the state announced plans to auction some 101 planes parked in various airports.

In a Gazette notice dated Friday, August 14, the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) unveiled the plans to auction the planes in an attempt to recover accrued parking fees from the planes.

In the notice, KAA also declared the aircrafts as a safety risk and gave their owners 30 days beginning August 14, to claim them or have them sold through public auction.

The planes are said to be owned by tycoons as well as politicians while commercial ones are owned by airlines such as Silverstone and Fly 540.

A photo of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport's international arrivals terminus.
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport's international arrivals terminus.
Daily Nation

Other planes in the foray are owned by government agencies including Kenya Police, Moi University and Somalia Airforce, according to a report by Business Daily.

"Disposal of Uncollected Goods Act (Cap. 38) of the laws of Kenya, to the parties appearing on the Schedule herein below to take delivery of the aircrafts parked at various airport's apron/airside areas or any unserviceable aircrafts parked in the airport movement area in absolute contravention of ICAO safety standards.

"Delivery must be done within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice and upon payment of all outstanding charges and any incidental costs including the cost of publication of this notice, failure to which the said aircrafts will be sold by public auction," read the notice in part.

The authority further indicated that proceeds of sale would be defrayed against any incurred charges and the balance, if any, would remain at the owners' credit.

The publication indicated that large aircraft were subject to Ksh 2,707 daily parking fees at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport while small planes are charged Ksh 1,625 in parking fees.

The large planes were also charged at least Ksh 63,355 landing fee while mall planes forked up Ksh 24,150.

The abandoned planes are found at JKIA, 17, Wilson Airport, 64, Moi International Airport in Mombasa and Lokichoggio Airport.

The publication further noted that private plane owners were increasing by the day after the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) registered 87 planes in 2019, up from 48 in 2018.

Some of the planes had allegedly parked at Wilson Airport for more than 10 years.

Aerial view of Wilson Airport Nairobi
Aerial view of Wilson Airport Nairobi taken by a drone on July 20, 2020.
Photo
KAA