Kenya Airways is facing renewed scrutiny after an internal audit cast doubt on the fairness and integrity of staff dismissals linked to its controversial Buddy Pass programme, raising questions about whether the sackings were justified or predetermined.
The audit findings, contained in Staff Notice No. 038/2025 dated 5 November 2025, point to systemic failures within the airline’s internal processes and governance structures. The revelations challenge the earlier narrative that employees alone were responsible for alleged abuse of the travel benefit scheme.
The Buddy Pass programme, introduced in 2023, was designed as a staff incentive, allowing employees to extend discounted or complimentary travel privileges to family and friends. It was rolled out across the airline as a morale boosting initiative aimed at improving staff welfare.
However, in 2024, Kenya Airways dismissed several employees, citing violations of the programme’s rules and regulations. At the time, the airline presented the terminations as necessary disciplinary action following what it described as widespread misuse.
The internal audit identified significant institutional weaknesses, including flawed payment systems, weak internal controls and inadequate policy communication. According to the report, these failures were rooted in organisational structures rather than individual misconduct.
The findings indicate that some employees may have unknowingly participated in irregular transactions due to unclear procedures and lack of guidance. In certain cases, buddy slots were manipulated without staff knowledge, while payments were processed through unregulated or unclear channels.
These revelations weaken earlier claims that the violations were deliberate and solely attributable to individual employees.
Despite acknowledging these systemic lapses, the audit does not indicate any disciplinary action against those responsible for designing or overseeing the programme. Instead, accountability appears to have been concentrated on a group of dismissed staff, raising concerns about fairness.
The timeline of events has also emerged as a critical issue. Staff dismissals were carried out in 2024, yet the comprehensive audit report identifying key system failures was completed in November 2025.
This sequence has fueled concerns that decisions to terminate employees may have been made before a full and objective investigation was conducted. Critics argue that the audit may have been used to justify actions that had already been taken rather than inform them.
The audit further acknowledges gaps that could have influenced earlier disciplinary decisions, including lack of policy clarity and inconsistent enforcement of rules. These factors suggest that the context in which employees were dismissed may not have been fully understood at the time.
Concerns over selective accountability have also intensified. While junior staff were dismissed, there is no indication that senior managers responsible for approvals, oversight and enforcement of the Buddy Pass programme faced similar consequences.
This disparity has led to claims that lower level employees may have been disproportionately targeted, effectively bearing the consequences of broader institutional failures.
The credibility of the investigation has also come under scrutiny following concerns raised by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union.
In a letter dated 7 August 2024, the union called for the resignation of the lead investigator, citing allegations of misconduct, lack of integrity and bias. The union warned that such issues risked undermining confidence in the disciplinary process.
However, the demand was later dropped without a publicly communicated resolution, raising further questions about transparency and consistency.
The developments have shifted focus from individual wrongdoing to broader institutional accountability within Kenya Airways. What initially appeared to be a case of employee misconduct is now emerging as a governance issue involving weak controls, policy failures and questionable disciplinary practices.
The audit raises critical questions about whether the airline addressed structural deficiencies before taking punitive action and whether accountability should extend beyond individual employees.
