Kamal had held the interim role since mid-December last year after previously serving three years as Chief Operating Officer. He will remain with the airline through a thirty-day transition period, with his formal departure set for the end of September. The board thanked him for helping stabilise daily operations and for advancing the carrier’s ongoing recovery plan during a period of leadership change.
In his place the board has named Habil Waswani, the current Company Secretary and Director of Legal Services and Regulatory Compliance, as acting chief executive with effect from mid-September. Waswani brings more than five years of experience inside the airline and over two decades as a corporate and commercial lawyer, including senior positions in listed banking and insurance firms. He holds a law degree from the University of Nairobi, a professional diploma from the School of Law, certification as a public secretary, and a global executive master’s degree earned jointly with a leading American business school. The appointment is designed to ensure continuity while a permanent successor is identified.
The board has already begun a competitive search for a substantive Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, signalling its intention to complete the process in the near term. Officials emphasised that the leadership change will not interrupt the broader recovery effort. A statement from the company underscored that “the company remains focused on the ongoing turnaround strategy of the airline whose primary objective is to secure its operational reliability, return to positive financial performance sustainability and achievement of its targeted growth ambitions, and this has the full support of the shareholders.”
Kamal’s relatively short tenure at the top came at a time when the carrier continues to navigate the residual effects of earlier financial pressures, fleet constraints and the need for sustained operational discipline. His background in operations was credited with providing steady hands during the interim period, yet the decision to step aside for personal reasons leaves the organisation once again managing a transition. Waswani’s legal and governance expertise is expected to offer a different but complementary skill set as the search for a long-term leader proceeds.
As the airline moves through this latest change at the top, the test will be whether the combination of interim continuity and a structured recruitment process can keep the recovery on track. The coming months will reveal how effectively the new acting leadership and the eventual permanent appointment can translate the stated ambitions for reliability, financial health and growth into tangible results for passengers, staff and shareholders alike.