Written by Faith Mwende
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is facing tough questions from the National Assembly over missing land documents and unexplained revenue gaps, raising fresh concerns about how the agency manages public resources.
Appearing before the Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy on Wednesday, KAA’s acting managing director Nicholas Bodo was questioned about several irregularities flagged in the authority’s audited accounts spanning four financial years up to 2022. The session was chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing.
A major point of concern was a 3.29-acre plot of land, identified as LR No. 9042/668 and valued at KSh 130 million. Although the property was reflected in the 2019/2020 financial statements, it was missing from the lease records.
The land was reportedly transferred to the Kenya Police Service, but no formal documentation has been provided to confirm the handover.
Bodo explained that a presidential directive issued in January 2023 halted the lease process, and the agency was awaiting formal approval to proceed.
The committee, seeking clarity, requested that the Officer Commanding Police Division in Embakasi East appear before them to shed light on the police’s involvement in the matter.
The committee also raised concerns over land transactions involving Kisumu International Airport. Although KSh 165 million had already been paid for land acquisition, there were no supporting records justifying the total valuation of KSh 190.7 million.
Additionally, title transfers for land that had been surrendered to KAA had yet to begin.
Two land titles under the airport’s name Municipality/Block No. 1/8 and No. 1/21 also carried inconsistent information regarding land sizes.
Bodo said the confusion stemmed from a merger of the two parcels, a process that was confirmed by the Commissioner of Lands.
To verify the claims, the committee announced plans to conduct a site inspection at Kisumu International Airport, including land on which school buildings are believed to have been constructed.
Another questionable transaction involved a 0.867-acre parcel in Embakasi Village valued at KSh 4.3 million. Nearly half of the plot about 0.47 acres had been irregularly allocated to a private entity.
Though the courts ruled in KAA’s favour, the matter remains unresolved pending an appeal.
The committee’s grilling of KAA highlights ongoing concerns about accountability and transparency in the management of critical public infrastructure.
