Govt Announces Plans to Build New Airport to Replace JKIA

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The government has hinted at plans to construct a new airport in Kenya to replace the ageing Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, while speaking at the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Symposium in Nairobi on Monday, announced that the decision was taken to address the infrastructural challenges Kenya has grappled with to boost its position as a major player in the aviation sector.
“You do appreciate that we do not have an airport; our airport was burnt at some time around 2013/2014. Our attempts to build a new airport have met challenges due to the democratic space we are in,” Chirchir said.
Adding, “We are in the process of building a new one (airport) so that we really become an anchor state that attracts people, so that you have that good feeling of coming in through the airport.”
Chirchir stated that the government will leverage Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to drive infrastructure upgrades, despite past setbacks such as the cancellation of the Adani deal for JKIA’s upgrade in November last year.
However, he did not provide specifics on the scope of the new project or the timelines for its implementation.
President William Ruto, in November, directed CS Chirchir and his Energy counterpart Opiyo Wandayi to end the then ongoing public-private partnership discussion with Adani Group Holdings.
Speaking on November 21, during his State of the Nation address in Parliament, the Head of State revealed that his directive was influenced by the provision of undisputed evidence or credible information on graft.
Meanwhile, the indications on the upgrade have been louted in the past, including a recent one where the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) called for public input for the upcoming future development plan of the Wilson Airport and JKIA.
In a notice on July 20, the authority said that it would conduct a Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA), which will assess the environmental and social impacts that the development, which it did not specify, of the two airports might attract.
Additionally, the announcement comes days after the government revealed that it is in the process of improving JKIA’s infrastructure, including runways, airside access roads, and the baggage handling system.
More to follow…