Kenya Airways chief says turnaround plan is bigger than his exit

Kenya Airways chief executive George Kamal will leave the airline on September 30, 2026. He says the carrier's recovery does not depend on any one person. Speaking in Nairobi, he said the plan rests on procedures already in place, not on who holds the top job. Kamal also chairs the African Airlines Association.

The airline announced his exit earlier in September, citing personal reasons. He had been in the role for under nine months, having moved from chief operating officer to acting group managing director and CEO.

Kamal said he made the decision in July 2026 to care for his mother, who is unwell. He intends to keep working, and said any future job announcement should not be read as the reason he left.

From September 15, company secretary Habil Waswani is acting CEO while the board searches for a permanent successor.

The transition centres on Project Kifaru, the airline's turnaround programme, now in its second round. The carrier is about six months from completing a two-and-a-half-year stabilisation period. Kamal said returning parked aircraft to service comes before fleet growth. The next stage would take the fleet to 60 aircraft by 2032, with more additions through 2035.

Getting aircraft flying again is the immediate obstacle. Engine maintenance backlogs have kept three of the airline's nine Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners out of service for long stretches.