Okiya Omtatah blasts Ksh19.7B Kenya Airways bailout as fraud
By Kiprono Keileb, August 8, 2025Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has sharply condemned the recent Ksh19.7B bailout that he said was authorised for Kenya Airways, calling the move a “calculated theft” and exposing what he stated as an unlawful diversion of public funds.
In a statement posted on his official X account on Friday, August 8, 2025, Omtatah revealed that in January 2025, the Ministry of Finance and National Treasury approved the withdrawal of Ksh19.7 billion from the Consolidated Fund under the vote labelled “State Officers’ Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous.” He challenged the legality and transparency of this transaction, exposing serious irregularities surrounding the bailout.
According to Omtatah,
“Evidence shows this money was unlawfully diverted to a broker, disguised as repayment to creditor banks, and executed without parliamentary approval.” He highlighted Gazette Notice No. 1864 as proof that the funds were charged under “Salaries, Allowances and Miscellaneous” and not under “Guaranteed Debt” as had been claimed. “This was no clerical error, but a deliberate misclassification,” he asserted.
The Senator further questioned the legitimacy of the bailout guarantee itself, pointing out that Kenyan law allows guarantees only for capital projects, not for working capital, the purpose for which the bailout was allegedly made.
“The guarantee itself was illegal,” Omtatah said.
He also noted that Kenya Airways was “ineligible for a guarantee” and expressed grave concerns over the payment being routed to a broker instead of directly to creditor banks, a move he described as raising “the gravest red flags of possible siphoning.” he noted
Omtatah went on to dismantle the justification often cited for the bailout, pointing to Kenya Airways’ audited financial statements for 2024, which reported a profit of Ksh19.8billion.
He argued this indicated the airline could repay its debts without seeking taxpayer support. “Even the justification collapses,” he said.
“This was not a rescue. It was calculated theft, aided by misleading documents designed to deceive Parliament and the public,” Omtatah stated.
His words underscore the seriousness of what he perceives as a breach of trust and abuse of public resources.
As a legislator and a defender of public accountability, Omtatah pledged to take a firm stand against what he calls the looting of the national treasury.
“I will not stand by while the national purse is looted, we shall be a shield for every shilling and defenders of the people’s trust,” he said
He concluded with a call for integrity and responsibility from leaders entrusted with managing public resources.
“Kenya deserves leaders who guard public resources as sacred, who serve with integrity, and who put the nation first. Together, we can build a country where truth and justice prevail,” Omtatah affirmed.
This statement comes at a critical time when public scrutiny of government spending and accountability is intensifying, with many Kenyans demanding transparency over large financial decisions. The revelations raised by Omtatah will likely fuel calls for investigations into the bailout’s legality and its true beneficiaries.
As the government navigates the fallout, the public awaits clear answers on how Ksh19.7B was handled and whether proper procedures were followed. Omtatah’s unwavering stance signals a push for justice and protection of taxpayer money, reminding leaders that vigilance over public funds is not negotiable.