The Kenyan Government plans to nationalise its carrier Kenya Airwaysby end of the year in order to boost its competitiveness, officialssaid on Tuesday.

Sebastian Mikosz, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Airways, told journalists in Nairobi that all its regional and internationalcompetitors are also owned by their respective governments and thus
have a financial advantage.

“Government has put in place a steering committee to spearhead the process of nationalising Kenya Airways by the end of the year,” Mikoszsaid.

In July, the east African nation’s parliament voted to nationalise thenational carrier.
Mikosz said that legal and policy reforms will have to be undertakenin order to ensure that the Kenyan flag carrier becomes fullystate-owned.

The biggest shareholder of Kenya Airways is the national treasury which owns 48.1 per cent, while banks control 38.1 per cent while KLM owns 7.8 per cent with the rest being owned by the public through the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

According to the CEO, legislative reforms will be required to pave theway for the government to buy out the minority owners of the airline.

“We are currently drafting the amendments that will be passed byparliament to make the airline fully owned by the state,” he added.

Mikosz revealed that the government will form a holding company wherethe national flag carrier and Kenya's main airport will besubsidiaries. (China.Org.Cn)