Do you dream of own an aircraft? Well, if you have what it takes, then keep following the events at the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and you might find yourself a proud owner of a plane.
The authority is planning to auction at least 101 aircraft abandoned in various airports across the country in what it termed as “posing a dangerous risk” to other planes.
Among the planes to be auctioned, one belongs to Jetlink which is said to have been purchased at the cost of 2 billion shillings.
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has 17 planes set to be auctioned, Wilson Airport had 64, while the rest are in Moi International Airport and others.
The authority had given entities and individuals who had “abandoned” their aircraft in the airport to pay for the accrued charges and have them removed, failure to which they were to be auctioned.
The Authority says the process to value the planes is currently being conducted and that prices will be released to the public “soon” and bids invited.
The condition of the planes has not been established with sources indicating that some of the planes have been at the airports for years and might just be as good as scrap metals.
It has also emerged that some of the planes belong to government entities such as the Kenya Police. Some belong to individuals, especially politicians who use them for political campaigns.
It is not clear whether Kenyans will come out to buy the planes or other organizations that are in the aviation industry will offer to do so.
As KAA thinks of auctioning other people’s planes, President Uhuru Kenyatta has called on Members of Parliament to hurry up with the Aviation bill to “save Kenya Airways” from collapsing.
Kenya Airways has been going through a financial turmoil for years now.