One year ago, on August 1, 2024, the Foreign Travel Information Management System (FOTIMS) became operational, marking a major step in streamlining official foreign travel across Kenya’s public sector.
Since then, FOTIMS has redefined how government air travel is conceptualized, approved, executed, and monitored. By centralizing previously fragmented processes, the system has sought to improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the management of public resources.
FOTIMS is designed to support the government’s ambitious cost reduction targets while reinforcing the Fly Kenya policy by ensuring Kenya Airways remains the preferred carrier for official government travel. Enhanced compliance with the Fly Kenya policy through FOTIMS implementation is expected to provide Kenya Airways with improved revenue stability, which is crucial for long-term strategic planning and investment in service improvements.
The system was to integrate with Kenya Airways’ existing platforms to enable real-time booking, comprehensive monitoring, and detailed reporting capabilities.
Kenya’s approach to prioritizing its national carrier in government travel is firmly grounded in established international best practices.
The United States, for example, provides perhaps the most comprehensive model through the Fly America Act. This legislation mandates that all U.S. government-funded air travel must utilize American flag carriers, covering not only federal employees but also extend to contractors, consultants, and grantees.
While limited exceptions exist for specific circumstances, the default requirement is unambiguous: when public funds are involved, national airlines must be the primary beneficiaries.
Fly America Act demonstrates that prioritizing national airlines in public procurement is not merely an acceptable policy but represents a global best practice that balances fiscal responsibility with strategic economic development.
Building on this principle, there is considerable merit in strengthening Kenya’s current framework by formally anchoring the Fly Kenya policy within the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act. Doing so would elevate it from administrative guidance to a legal obligation, providing stronger enforcement mechanisms and limiting opportunities for circumvention.
It is also important to introduce Fly Kenya compliance scorecards within the performance contracting framework for ministries, departments, and agencies. This would promote accountability, reinforce adherence, and embed the policy into routine performance evaluations across the public sector.
The economic impact of fully implementing the Fly Kenya policy extends well beyond the immediate procurement of airline tickets. Every government booking with Kenya Airways is a strategic investment in national economic growth. The aviation sector generates over KSh 425 billion annually in GDP and sustains more than 500,000 jobs across tourism and trade to logistics, and manufacturing. Strengthening this policy is not just about supporting a national carrier; it is about unlocking the full economic potential of a critical sector.
The successful implementation of FOTIMS and the broader Fly Kenya policy also requires the cultivation of a compliance culture throughout government operations, supported by appropriate incentive structures and accountability mechanisms.
Only through sustained political will, institutional alignment, and a shared commitment to national interest can these reforms deliver lasting economic value and position Kenya’s aviation sector as a strategic driver of development.
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Patrick Mwaura is a communication consultant specializing in public policy and infrastructure communications. mwaurapatrick@gmail.com
