Why Kenya Airways stopped flights to DR Congo and how a missing $8 million is connected to it

Kenya Airways (KQ), Kenya’s national airline, has taken the brave step of suspending flights to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This decision is in response to the DRC military’s ongoing imprisonment of its personnel following a dispute over a contentious currency consignment.

Although Congolese officials have yet to comment on the situation, local media, The EastAfrican newspaper, said sources revealed the argument is about the transit of $8 million, which was seized before being loaded into the Kenya Airways plane.

According to the report, a commercial bank attempted to export the money “secretly and without the knowledge of the security services.” However, TMB Bank, the bank referenced in Congolese media, denied the charges, claiming that the operation followed conventional protocols.

Operational challenges force suspension

Kenya Airways announced on Monday that flights will be suspended beginning Tuesday due to severe problems in supervising and supporting its operations in Kinshasa. Kenya Airways’ managing director, Allan Kilavuka, emphasised the issues the company has as a result of the continuous detention of its people.

“Due to the continued detention of KQ employees by the Military Intelligence Unit in Kinshasa, Kenya Airways is unable to support our flights without personnel effectively,” Kilavuka stated, “As a result, we reached a difficult decision to suspend flights to Kinshasa effective April 30, 2024, until we can effectively support these flights.”

He further explained, “The continued detention of our employees has made it difficult for us to supervise our operations in Kinshasa, which include customer service, ground handling, cargo activities, and generally ensuring safe, secure, and efficient operations.”

Background of the dispute

Kenya Airways’ decision derives from the arrest and custody of two of its employees on April 19, 2024, by Congolese military forces. The detention was based on alleged missing customs papers for valuable cargo scheduled to be carried on a KQ trip on April 12, 2024. However, due to inadequate documentation, the carrier did not hoist the package.

Military commanders in Kinshasa took the imprisoned personnel to the military side of the air wing to record their statements, but they were held incommunicado until April 23. The airline and embassy officials were only permitted to visit them on that day.

Diplomatic tensions flare

These recent occurrences reflect Kenya’s poor diplomatic relations with the DRC. In December of the previous year, the DRC recalled its ambassador to Nairobi after calling the Kenyan envoy in Kinshasa. The incident was a protest against the announcement in Nairobi of a new Congolese rebel coalition.

Corneille Nangaa, former president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (Ceni), declared the formation of a new rebel group in Nairobi, which sparked the violence. In response, Kinshasa immediately recalled its representative from Nairobi and sought an explanation from Kenya.

Kenya Airways’ decision to cease flights complicates diplomatic tensions between the two countries, raising concerns about the future of their relations and the resolution of this continuing conflict.