This is the version of this Act as it was from 4 October 2016 to 30 December 2022. Read the latest available version.
Civil Aviation Act
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LAWS OF KENYA
CIVIL AVIATION ACT
CAP. 394
- Published in Kenya Gazette Vol. CXV—No. 28 on 22 February 2013
- Assented to on 14 January 2013
- Commenced on 25 January 2013
- [Amended by Civil Aviation (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations, 2009 (Legal Notice 114 of 2009) on 31 July 2009]
- [Amended by Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2014 (Act No. 18 of 2014) on 8 December 2014]
- [Amended by Security Laws (Amendment) Act, 2014 (Act No. 19 of 2014) on 22 December 2014]
- [Amended by Civil Aviation (Amendment) Act, 2016 (Act No. 42 of 2016) on 4 October 2016]
Part I – PRELIMINARY
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Civil Aviation Act, 2013.2. Interpretation
3. Application of the Act
Part II – ESTABLISHMENT, COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE KENYA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY
4. Establishment of Authority
5. Headquarters.
The Headquarters of the Authority shall be in Nairobi.6. Objectives of the Authority.
The object and purpose for which the Authority as established shall be, to economically and efficiently plan, develop and manage civil aviation, regulate and operate a safe civil aviation system in Kenya in accordance with the provisions of this Act.7. Functions of the Authority.
8. Powers of the Authority
9. Power to obtain information, documents and evidence.
10. Protection of Safety and Security Information
Aviation safety and security information obtained, gathered voluntarily or otherwise given to the Authority under this Act or regulations made thereunder shall not be put to any inappropriate use:Provided that the Authority shall not be precluded from sharing aviation safety and security information with other Civil Aviation Authorities in the Contracting States subject to appropriate safeguards.[Act No. 42 of 2016, s. 6]11. Failure to comply with summons or giving of misleading information
A person who without lawful excuse refuses or fails to comply with a summon, gives false or misleading information or evidence either voluntarily in any proceedings of the Authority or in purported compliance with a summon under this section, commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand shillings.12. Reference to Tribunal
13. Board of Directors
13A. Conflict of interest
14. Termination of appointment of Directors.
15. Functions of the Board
16. Powers of the Board
17. Meetings of the Board
18. The common seal of the Authority
19. Appointment of Director-General
20. Responsibilities and powers of the Director-General
21. Suspension or revocation of privileges of a licence
Where the Director-General has reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of this Act, the regulations and any other rules made thereunder has occurred, he or she may in respect of the offending entity specified under section 39, make an order to detain, prohibit, suspend, revoke or vary the privileges of a licence, certificate or any other authorisation issued by the Authority.22. Delegation by the Director-General
23. Appointment of Corporation Secretary
24. Staff of the Authority.
25. Protection from personal liability
26. Principles of operation
The Authority shall perform its functions in accordance with sound financial principles and shall ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that expenditure of the Authority is properly charged to its revenue.27. Funds of the Authority
28. Commercial ventures
The Authority may, with a written approval of the Cabinet Secretary —29. Annual estimates
30. Business plan
31. Borrowing powers
32. Financial year
The financial year of the Authority shall be the twelve calendar months commencing on the 1st day of July in each year and ending on the 30th day of June the following year.33. Records and accounts of the Authority
34. Annual report by the Authority
The Director-General shall, within three months after the end of each financial year prepare a report of the operations of the Authority during that year and shall submit such report to the Cabinet Secretary, through the Board, who shall cause it to be presented to the National Assembly together with the report of the Auditor-General and certified copies of the accounts referred to in section 33(2).35. Charges and fees
35A. Establishment of Fund
There is established a Fund to be known as the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Fund (hereinafter referred to as "the Fund").[Act No. 42 of 2016, s. 13]35B. Sources of Fund
There shall be paid into the Fund-35C. Payments out of Fund
There shall be paid out of the Fund any expenditure incurred by the Authority in the exercise of its powers or the performance of its functions under this Act.[Act No. 42 of 2016, s. 13]36. Contracting out
The Authority may contract out any of its services provided that such contracting out shall not abrogate from the Authority's regulatory functions and compromise safety and security standards.37. Consultation with users or departments
38. Authorisation to provide air navigation services
The Authority may authorise an aerodrome to provide air navigation services for the use of such aerodrome subject to such conditions as may be set by the Authority.39. Inspection of Aircraft, Aerodromes, premises and documents.
39A. Investigation and Enforcement
39B. Aviation personnel certificates
39C. Aircraft in distress
39D. Search and Rescue
40. Acquisition of land for purposes of the Authority
41. Limitation of actions
Where an action or other legal proceeding is commenced against the Authority for any act done pursuance, or execution or intended in execution of this Act or any public duty or authority, or in respect of any alleged neglect or default in the execution of this Act, or of any such duty of authority, the following provisions shall have effect—42. Transfer of Government assets and liabilities
43. Restriction in the execution against property of the Authority
Despite anything to the contrary in any law -44. Service of notice on the Director-General
Any notice, summons, warrant, process or any other document required or authorised under this Act or any other law to be served on the Authority or the Director-General may be served—45. Recovery of debts
All debts owed to the Authority under this Act shall be recoverable summarily.Part III – SAFETY AND SECURITY OF AIRCRAFT AND PERSONS ON BOARD
[Act No. 42 of 2016, s. 17]46. Imperiling, permitting or interfering with the safety and security of aircraft and persons on board.
46A. Documents to be carried on Board
46B. Prohibited, restricted or danger areas
47. Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs in aircraft or while on duty
48. Requirement for drug and alcohol testing system
49. Exemption by the Director-General
50. Repealed
Repealed by Act No. 42 of 2016, s. 21.Part IV – POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CABINET SECRETARY
51. Powers of the Cabinet Secretary
52. International obligations
The Cabinet Secretary shall be responsible for—53. Appointment of investigators of accidents
54. Accident Investigation procedure
55. Inspection and assessment
Part V – PROVISIONS RELATING TO PROHIBITIONS, OFFENCES, EXEMPTIONS, ETC.
56. Restriction of building in declared areas
57. Control of structures etc., on or near aerodromes.
58. Trespass
59. Nuisance and liability for damage
60. Nuisance caused by aircraft and aerodromes
60A. Flying from unmanned aerodrome
61. Dangerous flying
61A. Prohibition from flying without prior approval
61A. Use of weapons against civil aircraft
61B. Aircraft piracy
61C. Interference wrth air navigation
A person who intentionally and willfully-61D. Dangerous Goods
A person who-61E. False or misleading aircraft markings
A person who displays or causes to be displayed on any aircraft any marks or impressions that are false or misleading as to the nationality or registration of the aircraft commits an offence and shall be liable upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding one million shilling or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months, or to both.[Act No. 42 of 2016, s. 25]61F. Operations of remotely operated aircraft
61G. Radio transmitting apparatus
No flight crew shall, when operating an aircraft registered in Kenya, carry radio transmitting apparatus, unless such flight crew holds a valid license to install and operate such apparatus issued by the Authority in accordance with regulations made under this Act.[Act No. 42 of 2016, s. 25]61H. Issuance and compliance with the rules of the air
61I. Reporting and record keeping violations
An air operator, approved training organisation, approved maintenance organisation or any other person or organization involved in civil aviation activities who intentionally and wilfully fails or refuses to-62. Exemption from seizure of certain aircraft on patent claims
63. Detention of aircraft
Regulations made under this Act may provide for the detention of an aircraft to secure compliance with this Act or any regulations made thereunder and may make such further provisions as appear to the Cabinet Secretary to be necessary or expedient for securing such detention.64. Jurisdiction
Any offence under this Act or regulations made under this Act and any offence committed on a Kenya aircraft shall, for the purpose of conferring jurisdiction, be deemed to have been committed in any place within Kenya where the offender may for the time being be:Provided that if such offence is committed in or over Kenya, the offence may be tried by any court having jurisdiction in Kenya.65. Liability of directors and officers of body corporate
Where an offence under this Act or regulations made thereunder is committed by a body corporate or any other association of individuals, every person who at the time of the commission of the offence was a director, partner or any other similar officer of the body corporate, or acting or purporting to act in management of its affairs, commits an offence unless that person proves that—Part VI – THE NATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW TRIBUNAL
66. Establishment of a Tribunal
67. Tenure and vacation of office
68. Secretary to Tribunal
69. Jurisdiction of Tribunal
The Tribunal shall have the jurisdiction to hear and determine complaints or appeals arising from—70. Proceedings of Tribunal
71. Powers of Tribunal
72. Awards of Tribunal
73. Appointment of assessors
The Chairperson of the Tribunal, in consultation and with the concurrence of two other members of the Tribunal, may appoint in writing any person with special skills or knowledge on aviation issues which are the subject matter of any proceedings or inquiry before the Tribunal to act as assessors in an advisory capacity in any case where it appears to the Tribunal that such special skills or knowledge are required for proper determination of the matter.74. Contempt of Tribunal
Any person who —75. Quorum for Tribunal
For the purposes of hearing and determining any cause or matter under this Act, the Chairperson and two other members of the Tribunal shall form a quorum.76. Disclosure of interest
A member of the Tribunal who has a direct interest in any matter that is the subject of the proceedings before the Tribunal shall disclose in writing the nature of that interest and shall not participate in the deliberations of the Tribunal in respect of that matter.77. Appeals to the High Court
78. Appeals to the Court of Appeal
A person aggrieved by the decision or order of the High Court may, within sixty days of that decision or order, appeal against that decision or order to the Court of Appeal on matter of law.Part VII – GENERAL PROVISIONS
79. Protection from personal liability
The Chairperson or any other members of the Tribunal shall not be liable to be sued in a civil court for an act done or omitted to be done or ordered to be done by them in the discharge of their duty as members of the Tribunal, whether or not within the limits of their jurisdiction, provided they, at the time, in good faith, believed themselves to have jurisdiction to do or order the act complained of, and no officer of the Tribunal or other person bound to execute the lawful warrants, orders or other process of the Tribunal shall be liable to be sued in any court for the execution of a warrant, order or process which he would have been bound to execute if within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal.80. General penalty
A person who commits an offence under this Act for which no specific penalty is provided for shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months, or to both.81. Compounding of offences
82. Regulations
Part VII – REPEAL, SAVINGS AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
83. Repeal of Cap. 394
84. Saving provisions
History of this document
26 April 2024
31 December 2022
Revised by
24th Annual Supplement
Read this version
04 October 2016 this version
Amended by
Civil Aviation (Amendment) Act, 2016
22 December 2014
08 December 2014
22 February 2013
25 January 2013
Commenced
14 January 2013
Assented to
31 July 2009
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