The President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, is expected to tap financial support from the United States of America during his visit that he is set to make to the capital of US Washington DC in the coming month for the upcoming New Nairobi Airport project is set to enable the capital of Kenya, Nairobi, attract more international passengers to places like the US, the United Kingdom (UK), and also the Middle East. This ambitious plans of constructing New Nairobi Airport come as Kenya strives to become a crucial aviation hub in the region.
Construction Cost of the New Nairobi Airport
The new $2 billion (equivalent to Ksh264 billion) international airport is expected to be constructed on a public private partnership (PPP) and shall relieve the high pressure that is mounted usually on the aging Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), which has been recently losing its general aviation status and ranking over capacity and even infrastructure lapses. In the recent heavy rains that have been experienced in Kenya, JKIA’s terminal 1C foresaw leaking roofs that got to earn the terminal a nickname of “terminal 1 sea”.
The poor infrastructure at the international airport in Kenya that was shown by these leaking roofs has raised alarm regarding the infrastructure on the airport which at times leads to stalling of the airport activities and operations.
According to the Cabinet Secretary of Kenya, Kipchumba Murkomen, made allegations that the previous government had neglected the aviation sector of the country thereby putting it in a very wanting state and position.
Current State of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Infrastructure
In matters regarding the leaking roofs at the JKIA, Kenya Ports Authority said that the renovation works on the leaking roofs at the airport were kicked off in the month of March before the heavy rains commenced. This indicates that the renovation works at the airport started five months after the infrastructure problem became a public concern. This infrastructure situation clearly reveals the presence of inadequate facility and infrastructure overhaul and upgrade in the last ten years at the international airport, to an extent where temporary interventions can become permanent solutions.
According to the acting Managing director of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Henry Ogoye, the repair works on both terminal 1C and 1B have already commenced. “The problem is currently being mitigated as works proceed and the responsible contractor for the repairs has been issued a directive that requires them to complete the repair works on schedule, he added.
Some roofs at the airport are also leaking, thereby stalling operations of terminal 1C that serves Qatar Airlines, Lufthansa, Ethiopia Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and even the Rwanda International airlines.
A major facelift on the JKIA was set to be done in the current fiscal year. According to the Cabinet Secretary of transport, he revealed that the government had plans of decommissioning the terminal and building a new one of better and higher standards.
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