Somalia deregisters two Kenyan airlines for illegal transporting khat

Two Kenyan registered airlines have been struck off the register of licensed companies to operate in Somalia after they illegally transported khat to Somalia against a government ban on the product.

According to the acting director general of Somalia Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) Ahmed Moalim, the two airlines – Silverstone Air and Buff Air Service were stripped of their rights to operate in Somalia after they transported khat to Somalia disguised as medical supplies.

“The two airlines were stripped of their license after they violated aviation rules,” said Moalim.

According to sources privy to the matter, one of the aircrafts landed in Buhodle on May 26 while the other arrived in May 31 in Jowhar town.

Somalia announced a ban on khat imports in late March citing risk of COVID-19 spread.

Silverstone Air was by March this year yet to be cleared by Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) after its aircrafts were involved in three accidents in October 2019.

In one instance in mid-October 2019, its aircraft skidded off the run-way in Wilson Airport injuring passengers while in the same month, another aircraft was forced to make emergency landing in Eldoret Airport after one of its tires fell off.