Kenya Airways shares were the top gainers at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) on Thursday, closing the day at Sh5.48 per share. This represented a 9.82 percent increase from the previous trading price of Sh4.99.
During the trading session, the counter hit a low of Sh5.20 per share and recorded a total volume of 762,292 shares traded by the end of the day.
The strong performance came shortly after reports revealed that Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has become the second-largest individual shareholder in Kenya Airways and ranks seventh overall among the airline’s shareholders.
According to regulatory filings for February 2026, Nyoro had acquired 10,396,251 shares in the national carrier. Based on Wednesday’s pricing, the shares were valued at approximately Sh51.9 million, rising to about Sh57 million after Thursday’s price increase.
This rally in Kenya Airways stock came despite the airline reporting a net loss of Sh17.2 billion for the 2025 financial year, a sharp reversal from a Sh5.4 billion profit recorded in 2024.
The company attributed the losses to operational disruptions, particularly the temporary grounding of three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft that required engine overhauls amid global supply chain constraints and limited engine availability.
“Overall performance and operations in the year 2025 were severely impacted primarily by the temporary grounding of three of the wide body fleet, Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft,” the airline stated.
Nyoro’s growing stake in the airline has sparked speculation in investment circles, with some interpreting it as a strategic position ahead of possible structural changes at the national carrier.
In February 2026, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced that the government had approved plans to bring in a strategic investor for Kenya Airways, potentially paving the way for partial privatization.
He said the investor would be expected to inject between Sh154.8 billion and Sh258 billion into the airline as part of a planned restructuring process.
Mbadi also noted that the government’s existing Sh63.1 billion exposure to the airline could later be converted into equity once a strategic partner is secured.
Although Nyoro has not publicly linked his investment to the proposed restructuring, his market activity has drawn attention from retail investors, many of whom have been closely tracking his stock picks.
The MP has previously been associated with notable gains in counters such as Kenya Power, further fueling public interest in his investment decisions.
As activity around Kenya Airways intensifies, analysts caution investors to be mindful of market risks and avoid blindly following high-profile trading moves.
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