Kenyan MPs want troops prioritised when boarding flights at airports

Members of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) will be given priority boarding at airports for local travel if members of parliament pass a motion currently before parliament.

The motion, sponsored by Lamu East MP Ruweida Obbo, seeks to give members of the KDF the special treatment as a reward for their service to the country.

If passed, Kenya will join other countries such as the US and UK that give their veterans priority at airports when boarding flights to local destinations.

“This house urges that the government through the Ministry of Roads and Transport, to encourage local airlines to establish a priority boarding protocol for the Kenya Defence Forces and Kenya Special Forces personnel, which grants them the privilege to board local aircraft before the general public,” the motion stated.

The implication of the motion is that during boarding, aircraft operators will call the veterans to board first before other members of the public are allowed to board.

“Members of the forces face life-threatening risks as they carry out their duties to protect our citizens, particularly in high-risk and volatile areas,” the motion further read.

Ms Obbo says the move is part of the recognition that parliament can give to members of the KDF for the sacrifices they make in protecting the country.

She pointed out that the move will not only instill a sense of pride among KDF officers but also boost their morale, thereby improving their performance in the discharge of their duty of ensuring national security.

The lawmaker also said in the motion that the KDF and the Kenya Special Forces play an indispensable role in maintaining and promoting national security.

The motion, if passed by the lawmakers, will compel the Transport Ministry to come up with a boarding protocol for local airlines.