Kenya Airways wants to manage Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in a joint venture with the Kenya Airports Authority, but KAA is not so keen.
The issue is being argued out in Parliament at the moment. But essentially government can decide on its own - it owns 100 percent of KAA and a controlling 49 per cent share of KQ.
Strategically KQ is vital to the prosperity of Kenya. Nairobi is an aviation hub that links to destinations all across the world. That makes Nairobi the preferred regional headquarters for international organisations and foreign companies.
Kenya's biggest forex earners, after remittances, are horticulture and tourism. Their success relies on the health of KQ.
KQ's biggest competitors are Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates and Qatar Airways. All of them collect passengers from Nairobi and transfer them to destinations across the world through their home airports which they control. This puts KQ at a competitive disadvantage.
Of course, KAA needs to maintain other airports in Kenya using revenue from JKIA. But as Deputy President William Ruto said this week, 70 per cent of that revenue comes from KQ. So KAA is dependent on KQ for most of its profits.
KQ and KAA are inextricably linked. Let's formalise the relationship by allowing this joint venture to operate JKIA for 30 years.
Quote of the day: "The fairest thing in nature, a flower, still has its roots in earth and manure."
D. H. Lawrence
The English novelist died on March 2, 1930
