1,548 aircrafts now whiz past one another across the Kenyan airspace

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) registered 87 new aircraft last year, up from 48 fresh listings in 2018.
Local business magnates, politicians and new millionaires are the ones competing in leasing and owning private planes.
Large-scale farmers and ranchers based in Nanyuki, Kitale, Laikipia and Narok are also giving the politicians and business magnets a run for their money.

The Kenyan airspace is slowly getting crowded with each passing day as more and more moneyed Kenyans dump their cars and take to the skies.

In 2019 alone, registration of new aircraft owned by wealthy Kenyans and private aviation firms nearly doubled. On average 6 aircraft were registered per month in the last one year.

Choppers packed at a past political event in Kenya. (kenyastockholm.) Pulse Live Kenya

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) registered 87 new aircraft last year, up from 48 fresh listings in 2018, pushing the number of planes in the country to 1,548, excluding those owned by the National Police Service and the Kenya Defence Forces.

“There is a spike which we can only attribute to increased demand for these equipment, which for us is good progress in the aviation sector,” said KCAA Director-General Gilbert Kibe, Business Daily reported.

KCAA Director General Gilbert Kibe KCAA Director General Gilbert Kibe Pulse Live Kenya

Aero Club of East Africa – a lobby group of private aircraft owners – attributed the growth in the number of registered planes to Nairobi’s rising status as the region’s business hub and a growing number of wealthy individuals with the means to own and maintain an aircraft.

The 1,548 aircraft comprise those belonging to operators of scheduled and charter flights and privately-owned planes that operate from small airports and airstrips.

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Kenya's former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, embarks from a chopper at a a past event. (SDE). Pulse Live Kenya

Local business magnates, politicians and new millionaires are the ones competing in leasing and owning private planes. According to the Africa Wealth 2019 report published by Mauritius-based AfrAsia Bank, about 356 billionaires were living in Kenya as of 2018 majority of whom own more than one aircraft.

Large-scale farmers and ranchers based in Nanyuki, Kitale, Laikipia and Narok are also giving the politicians and business magnets a run for their money.

A section of Wilson Airport A section of Wilson Airport Pulse Live Kenya

While farmers mostly use their small aircraft to spray their crops, wealthy individuals acquire aircraft to satisfy their ambitions for reliable and personalised travel besides convenience.

Last year, Wilson Airport in Nairobi which handles about 90% of domestic flights placed on auction 15 aircraft which had been abandoned at the facility as it struggled with space constraints.