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{
    "id": 497447,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/497447/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 50,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. King’ola",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2328,
        "legal_name": "Patrick Makau King'ola",
        "slug": "patrick-makau-kingola"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Deputy Speaker, on the outset, I would like to say that liberalization must happen today because, looking at international air travel, we realize that Amsterdam and Paris have empowered themselves to become the hubs of Europe. All African couriers have to pass through there. It is high time that we, Africans, looked into how we can have our own hub. Kenya is trying but if you look at our national carrier, Kenya Airways, you will appreciate that they are not only enjoying a monopoly but they are also exploiting Kenyans. Kenya Airways is no longer the “pride of Africa” but the ‘fraud of Africa”. The air fare of Kshs35,000 that they charge a passenger for a flight from Nairobi to Mombasa is equivalent to about US$500. A flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town costs only US$200, which is about Kshs17,000. It is roughly a two-hour flight. In Kenya, flying from Nairobi to Mombasa, a 45-minute flight, costs Kshs35, 000 per passenger. Therefore, there is need for the Government to regulate this sector. Jetlink came in and left. Regional Air and Fly 540 are not doing very well. I suspect foul play in all these developments. The Director of Aviation must tell Kenyans why Kenya Airways is enjoying a monopoly. The Kenya Airways have become so proud that they mistreat Members of Parliament and other leaders of this country. When we support a national carrier like Kenya Airways, they should extend a hand of friendship to us. As much as we want to support our national carrier, a time has come for them to respect Kenyans by lowering their air fares. When Jetlink was around, going to Mombasa would cost about Kshs6,000. After killing those other carriers, the Kenya Airways became the controllers of our airspace. The Cabinet Secretary responsible for transport should tell us why other players in the industry are not coming on board. It is time we liberalized air travel in this country and ensured that the Government issued licences to other carriers to operate in our airspace to foster a healthy competition, so that Kenyans can afford to move from one place to another. Very few airstrips are operational in Kenya today. We only talk about Eldoret, Kisumu and Nairobi. As we work hard towards realization of Vision 2030, the Government should open more airstrips and ensure that flying to, say, the North Eastern region becomes cheaper. It is only flights operated by the United Nations that land in The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}