KQ Warns of Flight Delays and Cancellations Under Proposed Strategic Goods Bill 2026

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has warned Members of Parliament that proposed controls under the Strategic Goods Control Bill, 2026, could worsen flight delays and cancellations.

Appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security on Wednesday, May 20, KQ Company Secretary Habil Waswani said the airline fears the proposed law could slow the importation of spare parts needed to keep flights operating on schedule.

Waswani told the members of the committee that the aviation equipment used by commercial airlines is already subject to rigorous international certification and oversight by global aviation authorities.

He urged Parliament to amend Section 3(2) of the bill or introduce a new clause exempting International Civil Aviation Organisation-certified civil aircraft, parts, software, and aviation services intended for commercial passenger operations, subject to end-use certification.

Waswani also proposed that the interpretation schedule be clarified to expressly exclude civil aviation items certified under European Union Aviation Safety Agency and US Federal Aviation Administration standards unless they are diverted for military use.

“Aviation is already a highly regulated safety and security sector,” Waswani told the committee.

He added, “The parts that you put on aircraft have to be inspected and certified by international bodies before airlines can operate into certain territories.”

According to Waswani, additional approvals under the Strategic Goods Control framework would create duplication and operational inefficiencies for airlines already operating under strict international oversight.

He warned that delays in clearing aircraft parts could directly affect flight reliability, particularly for airlines operating smaller fleets.

“For Kenya Airways, we currently have around 34 aircraft. When one aircraft goes down, and you need a replacement part, delays in securing that part affect operations immediately,” Waswani stated.

The Strategic Goods Control Bill, 2026, which is sponsored by the leader of the majority in the National Assembly, Kimani Ichung’wah, seeks to regulate the import, export, and transit of strategic and dual-use goods that could pose national security risks if diverted for military or terrorist use.

On Tuesday, May 19, MPs raised concern that the proposed law could create an expensive and bureaucratic system that may hinder trade instead of streamlining it.

Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security Gabriel Tongoyo questioned why the bill proposes a committee to oversee strategic trade instead of establishing a fully-fledged regulatory authority or board.

“The objective of this Bill is to control trade of listed strategic goods and technology, but in my opinion, this would have been better handled by a board or regulatory authority rather than a committee,” said Tongoyo.

The Narok West MP noted that sectors such as firearms and nuclear materials are already supervised by independent regulators, raising concerns that the proposed committee may lack the authority and operational efficiency required to manage such a sensitive sector.

Principal Parliamentary Counsel in the Office of the Attorney General, Olivia Simiyu, told the MPs that the proposed law does not intend to create another state corporation but to establish a coordinating mechanism that brings together existing regulators.

“The purpose of the committee was not to take over the mandate of existing bodies such as the Nuclear Regulatory Authority or the Firearms Licensing Board. It is meant to coordinate various agencies and streamline verification processes,” she said.