The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport has assembled an eleven-member team to evaluate the situation at JKIA and various airports and deliver a report within 28 days.
The committee, chaired by Walter Ogolla, Director of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), includes members George Ngugi, Neepe Iltasayon, Martin Wamaye, Richard Cherop, Christine Nzai, Judith Kimeu, James Mbui, Lawrence Mochama, Sharon Asiyo, and Fredick Kabuge.
This development follows the circulation of an online video depicting leakage in the facility. Recently, the Kenya Airport Authority faced criticism for a power outage that paralyzed operations for nearly two hours. Despite being considered one of the best airports in the region, its reputation has been marred by the current poor infrastructure conditions.
The Kenya Airport Authority acknowledged the prolonged lack of upgrades at the airport. In a statement, KAA admitted, “Over the last 10 years, JKIA has suffered from insufficient facilities and infrastructure capacity upgrades, leading temporary interventions to become permanent solutions, thus resulting in the current state of service disruptions.”
CS Murkomen attributed the neglect of facility maintenance to the previous regime, stating, “When we assumed office, we discovered that the projects in the previous regime were substandard.”
He mentioned temporary renovations to Terminals 1C and E, emphasizing the costly nature of in-field projects. Murkomen assured that discussions with contractors have taken place to rectify the situation.
The Cabinet Secretary announced that the committee is expected to present its findings and recommendations within 28 days. Murkomen also disclosed that the installation of a backup generator is underway and will be completed within seven days.
The committee’s scope extends to assessing projects carried out by contractors in the past two years, with a focus on identifying corrective actions for implementation.
