- Allan Kilavuka, who led Kenya Airways for six years, left the airline in late 2025 and shifted his focus to agriculture in Trans Nzoia
- The former KQ boss shared a photo on Instagram standing in his lush coffee plantation, holding ripe cherries and reflecting on his new pace of life
- A video circulating online shows the daily reality of life on his farm, drawing warm reactions from former colleagues in the aviation industry
Allan Kilavuka, who steered Kenya Airways through some of the most turbulent years in its history, has swapped boardroom briefings for early mornings in the soil, and he seems to be loving every moment of it.
Source: Facebook
The former Kenya Airways Group Managing Director and CEO officially left the airline after his farewell message to staff on 16 December 2025, announcing he would go on terminal leave before his official retirement on 31 March 2026. Chief Operating Officer Captain George Kamal stepped in on an acting basis.
From boardrooms to coffee rows
Kilavuka's tenure at KQ was anything but quiet. He took the top job on 1 April 2020, right as the Covid-19 pandemic was grounding fleets worldwide.
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He navigated the airline through restructuring under Project Kifaru and eventually delivered a record after-tax profit of Ksh 5.4 billion for the year ending 31 December 2024, the airline's first profit in over a decade. His total compensation for 2025, including pension and terminal benefits, stood at Ksh 131.07 million according to the airline's annual report.
Now, the yardstick has changed entirely.
In a post shared on his Instagram account [@allan.kilavuka](https://www.instagram.com/allan.kilavuka) five weeks ago, Kilavuka appeared standing in a lush coffee plantation in Trans Nzoia, holding ripe red cherries freshly picked from the bush. His caption captured the shift in mindset beautifully.
"There was a time when my days were measured by quarters, half years and fully years. Today, I measure them differently. By the rain. By the flowering of the coffee trees. By the health of the soil. By the promise of a harvest that is still months away," he wrote.
He added: "Retirement has given me something that success never quite could: time to slow down and appreciate the process. After years of building organizations, I am now at the mercy of the seasons."
Trans Nzoia's growing coffee belt
The choice of Trans Nzoia is worth noting. Long celebrated as Kenya's maize belt, the North Rift county has quietly been diversifying, with an estimated 8,000 acres now under coffee and sugarcane as farmers chase higher-value returns. Kilavuka appears to be riding that wave with a clear commercial intent.
A video filmed on the farm during daytime shows a worker carefully harvesting ripe cherries from the bushes in a scene that is as unhurried as his former life was relentless.
Kilavuka holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Nairobi and a Certificate in Psychology from the University of Liverpool, with leadership training at GE's Crotonville Institute. He joins a growing circle of Kenyan executives channelling retirement capital into commercial agriculture.
He has not disclosed the farm's size or production figures, but his regular updates point to a deeply hands-on approach. As he puts it, he is building his next organisation, only this one runs on seasons, not spreadsheets.
Ledama Ole Kina's US house
We also highlighted facts about Narok Senator Ledama Olekina’s US home and his plans to introduce wine to Kenya after visiting an olive farm and winery.
The video drew sharply mixed reactions, with some Kenyans praising his entrepreneurial ambitions while others questioned his priorities and political stance.
Source: TUKO.co.ke