Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced a major change at the top of its management, with Acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Capt. George Kamal resigning from the position for personal reasons.
The national carrier in a statement obtained by Vantage Ke on Tuesday, September 1 said Kamal will leave the airline’s executive leadership after serving as Acting Group Managing Director and CEO since December 16, 2025.
His formal exit from the airline is scheduled for September 30, 2026, although he will remain at Kenya Airways for a 30-day transition period.
In the public announcement, the Kenya Airways Board praised Kamal for serving at the airline with commitment and dedication during his tenure.
According to the Board's announcement, Kamal first served as the airline’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) for three years before taking over as Acting Group Managing Director and CEO.
During his time as COO, the Board credited him with helping stabilise the airline’s operations before subsequently leading the company through an executive leadership transition in December 2025.
He also headed the executive team as Kenya Airways implemented its ongoing turnaround strategy.
“The Board and management of the Company hereby express their gratitude to Capt. Kamal for his diligence, service, leadership, and dedication to the Airline over the years,” the announcement stated. The airline added that it wished him well in his future endeavours following his departure.
Habil Waswani to Take Over
As Kamal prepares to leave, Kenya Airways has appointed Habil Waswani, the company’s Secretary and Director of Legal Services and Regulatory Compliance, as Acting Group Managing Director and CEO. Waswani will officially assume the position on September 15, 2026.
The Board said it had already begun the process of competitively recruiting a substantive holder of the CEO position, with the process expected to be completed in the near term.
Waswani brings more than two decades of experience in corporate and commercial law to the temporary leadership role. According to the airline, he has worked at KQ for more than five years, where he has been responsible for aviation and airline operations-related legal matters, as well as commercial and corporate law.
Before joining Kenya Airways, Waswani served in various senior roles at listed banking and insurance institutions dating back to 2004.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi, a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law and is a Certified Public Secretary.
He also holds a Global Executive Master of Business Administration (GEMBA) degree from the United States International University- Africa (USIU), earned through a programme conducted in collaboration with Columbia Business School, Columbia University, New York.
Waswani is a member of the Law Society of Kenya, the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya and the Institute of Directors of Kenya.
The airline further noted that he has been recognised in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist, East Africa awards, from 2024 to 2026.
“The Board fully supports the appointment of Mr. Waswani as he takes over the organisation’s executive leadership during this interim period and wishes him well in the new role,” Kenya Airways said.
Airline's Turnaround Strategy
The leadership transition comes as Kenya Airways continues to implement its turnaround strategy, which remains focused on improving operational reliability, returning the airline to sustainable positive financial performance and achieving its targeted growth ambitions. This plan, the Board adds, had the full support of the airline’s shareholders.
Kamal's departure marks another leadership transition for Kenya Airways, which has been working to strengthen its operations and financial position. It is worth noting that the airline is yet to appoint a substantive CEO to replace Allan Kilavuka, who stepped down from the role on December 16, 2025 after a five-year stint.
The Board thanked the airline’s stakeholders for their continued support as the company enters another phase of its turnaround programme.
The latest announcement was signed by Kenya Airways Chairman Kiprono Kittony, EBS, and issued on September 1, 2026, with the disclosure made pursuant to the Capital Markets (Securities) (Public Offers, Listing and Disclosures) Regulations 2023 under the Capital Markets Act and was issued with the approval of the Capital Markets Authority.
