The government has announced plans to build a modern terminal at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen made the announcement yesterday as five newly appointed members of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) board assumed office.
Mr George Ngugi, Ms Rebecca Lomong, Ms Serah Kimani, and Mr Walter Ogola are the new KAA board members.
The CS urged KAA to collaborate with investors and partners on the terminal’s conceptualization and construction, claiming that it will benefit Kenya’s economy by increasing transit capacity and expanding trade and investment.
He also stated that the new terminal would create job opportunities for Kenyans and propel the country to the forefront of the aviation industry.
JKIA was built in 1978 with a capacity of two million passengers per year, but it has since grown to eight million passengers per year, causing inefficiencies and system breakdowns.
According to the CS, these inefficiencies hampered the airport’s capacity to handle more planes and passengers, stifling trade and investment.
“Being a key port of entry for Kenya, it is critical that we work on a Public-Private Partnership model that will facilitate the expansion of JKIA to include a new terminal and runway to double the airport’s capacity and move the list of the best airports in the world,” the CS said.
Mr Murkomen challenged the new board members to hit the ground running and come up with creative ways to make Kenya’s airports and airstrips financially sustainable in order to avoid over-reliance on JKIA revenue.
The Cabinet Secretary also challenged the board to review the KAA Act, 1991 in order to align it with current developments in the aviation sector and to seal revenue leakages through system automation in accordance with President William Ruto’s directive.
The CS also urged the board to review systems and protocols in order to improve both physical and cyber security at JKIA and other airports across the country.
At the same time, outgoing Kenya Roads Board (KRB) chairperson Phylis Wakiaga handed over the reins to her successor, former Wajir West MP Ahmed Kolosh.
During the handover, Mr Murkomen stated that the government is working to address the issue of pending bills affecting contractors without resorting to loans that would burden taxpayers.
