Proposed Bill could unlock new funds for Kenya Meteorological Department

Legendary weatherman Francis Nguatah at the National Meteorological Centre on August 1, 2025. (Photo: Kenya Meteorological Department)

By Maureen Kinyanjui
Saturday, August 9, 2025

The Air Passenger Service Charge (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, seeks to add the department to the list of agencies entitled to a share of the money collected from air passengers.

The Kenya Meteorological Department could soon receive a new stream of funding if proposed changes to the Air Passenger Service Charge law are passed, potentially boosting its capacity to support aviation safety and weather services.

The Air Passenger Service Charge (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, seeks to add the department to the list of agencies entitled to a share of the money collected from air passengers.

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At present, the proceeds from both domestic and international flights are shared among the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and the Tourism Promotion Fund.

The Bill proposes that “all proceeds of the charge (passenger service) shall be apportioned in a manner as the Cabinet Secretary (Transport) may by notice in the Kenya Gazette, specify.” If approved, the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority would be allocated a portion to strengthen weather-related aviation safety and services.

Travellers currently pay Sh600 for a domestic ticket and $50 (about Sh6,400) for an international ticket as the passenger service fee. From international flights, KAA receives 60 per cent of the proceeds, KCAA gets 20 per cent, and the Tourism Promotion Fund takes the remaining 20 per cent.

Proceeds from local flights are distributed at 50 per cent, 30 per cent, and 20 per cent, respectively, under an order issued on December 31, 2022.

MPs have been pressing for more transparency in managing these funds and want the amounts disclosed to the public.

The current law allows the Transport Cabinet Secretary to adjust the sharing ratios between the three existing beneficiaries.

The Meteorological Department has for years struggled with inadequate funding, which has hampered its ability to provide timely and accurate weather updates. Increased allocations, the Bill suggests, could help the department invest in advanced monitoring systems, reducing flight delays and improving safety standards.

The department has previously lobbied lawmakers for a dedicated revenue stream from passenger charges, saying it would greatly improve its operations.

The proposed law also seeks to redirect proceeds meant for the Tourism Promotion Fund to the Tourism Fund to avoid overlapping functions.

“This would limit duplication of roles, improve efficiency and enable the government to support the financing of tourism-related projects from a single source,” Ichung’wah says in the Bill’s memorandum. The funds, he notes, would be critical for “projects that require strategic and sometimes blended funding approaches” and would “ensure efficiency in public resource utilisation.”

In line with public participation requirements, Parliament has invited Kenyans to submit their views on the Bill by next Wednesday.

President William Ruto’s administration has been calling for the prudent use of public resources to enhance service delivery in priority sectors. If enacted, the changes could lead to more reliable weather services and a more coordinated approach to tourism development.