Why it's unwise for Kenya to rely heavily on foreign freighters

Kenya Airways cargo plane. [File, Standard]

According to an article from Aviation Benefits, "aviation is a key driver of global development. Over a third of all trade by value is sent by air, which makes trade a key component of business worldwide." The article further says, "the aviation industry supports USD 3.5 trillion or 4.1 per cent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP). If aviation were a country, it would rank 17th in size by GDP."

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that the aviation industry contributes 4.6 per cent of Kenya's total annual GDP. This translates to slightly under half a million jobs. The industry is thus a major contributor to the economy through employment opportunities, receipts from exports and taxes collected by the exchequer.