By Kenya Airways said on Tuesday that Captain George Kamal had resigned as acting Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for personal reasons, and named company secretary Habil Waswani to take over the role on an interim basis from Sept. 15.
The East African carrier, commonly known as KQ, said in a public announcement that Kamal would remain with the airline for a 30-day transition period before his formal exit on Sept. 30, 2026.
Kamal had served as acting CEO since Dec. 16, 2025, after three years as Chief Operating Officer, according to the company statement, which was issued in compliance with Kenya’s Capital Markets (Securities) (Public Offers, Listing and Disclosures) Regulations 2023.
Kenya Airways’ board, chaired by Kiprono Kittony, thanked Kamal for his “diligence, service, leadership, and dedication” and said it wished him well in his future endeavours.
Waswani currently serves as Kenya Airways’ Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services and Regulatory Compliance, a post he has held while working at the airline for more than five years, the company said.
The board said Waswani has 24 years of experience in corporate and commercial legal practice and has held senior roles in listed banking and insurance institutions since 2004. He holds a law degree from the University of Nairobi, a diploma from the Kenya School of Law, and a Global Executive Master of Business Administration completed in collaboration with Columbia Business School in New York.
Waswani has been named in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist for East Africa each year since 2024, according to the airline.
“The Board fully supports the appointment of Mr. Waswani as he takes over the organisation’s executive leadership during this interim period,” Kenya Airways said in its statement.
The board added it had already begun a “competitive” recruitment process to find a substantive Group Managing Director and CEO, which it expects to complete in the near term.
Waswani’s appointment marks the third change at the top of Kenya Airways’ executive leadership in less than 12 months. Kamal took over as acting CEO in December 2025 after Allan Kilavuka departed the role at the end of a six-year tenure, Kamal having previously served as the airline’s Chief Operating Officer for three years before replacing Kilavuka.
Kenya Airways said Kamal had helped stabilise the airline’s operations as COO and subsequently led the company through the executive transition in December 2025, before more recently overseeing the implementation of the carrier’s turnaround strategy.
Kamal’s resignation comes just a few weeks after the carrier reported a heavy first-half net loss.
The leadership change was also announced hours after aviation workers ended a two-day strike, with the airline warning passengers to expect delays as it cleared a resulting backlog.
Kenya Airways said in its statement that the company remained focused on its ongoing turnaround strategy, which it described as aimed at securing operational reliability, returning to positive financial performance and achieving its growth targets.
The airline said the strategy had “the full support of the shareholders” and thanked stakeholders for their continued backing.
Kenya Airways is one of Africa’s largest carriers and a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance. The Kenyan government holds a majority stake in the company, which has faced years of financial difficulty despite periodic restructuring efforts.
The company’s statement carried a disclaimer noting it was issued with the approval of Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority, which it said assumes no responsibility for the correctness of statements in the announcement.
Kenya Airways has cycled through several changes in its top leadership in recent years as it has sought to return to consistent profitability after a period of heavy losses linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and high debt levels.
Kilavuka had led the airline for six years before his departure in December 2025, during which time the carrier pursued cost-cutting measures and route expansion as part of an earlier restructuring plan.
The frequent turnover at the top of Kenya Airways comes as the airline continues to navigate a competitive East African aviation market and works to stabilise its balance sheet.
Waswani’s tenure as acting CEO is expected to last until the board completes its search for a permanent replacement, a process the company has said it aims to conclude in the near future. No timeline beyond that was provided in Tuesday’s statement.
