Bill Seeks To Add Weather Agency To List Of Air Passenger Fee Beneficiaries

Parliament has begun debating a proposed law that would give the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority (KMS) a share of the air passenger service charge and shift tourism funds to a single account.

The Air Passenger Service Charge (Amendment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, seeks to add KMS to the list of agencies funded through the fee paid by all domestic and international air travelers.

If passed, the Bill would also reallocate money currently going to the Tourism Promotion Fund and channel it instead to the Tourism Fund, as provided under the Tourism Act.

Lawmakers say the move will remove duplication, improve efficiency, and centralize financing for tourism projects — especially those that require strategic or blended funding.

The proposed changes would also boost the capacity of the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority, which is highlighted in Clause 30 of the Meteorology Bill, 2023. KMS has long faced funding shortages, affecting its ability to provide timely and accurate weather forecasts.

At present, the passenger service charge is shared between the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), and the Tourism Promotion Fund. The Bill seeks to add KMS to that list while restructuring how tourism funds are managed.