Isiolo Airstrip to be Upgraded into International Airport
Interesting story from the Sunday Nation.
Interesting story from the Sunday Nation.
New international airport for Isiolo Story by GAKUU MATHENGE Publication Date: 11/6/2005 The Isiolo airstrip is to be expanded into an international airport at a cost of Sh250 million. The work is tentatively scheduled to start in January, next year, and be completed in 18 months. The deputy managing director of the Kenya Airports Authority, Ms Naomi Cidi, said: "This is not an Eldoret-type project. It is basically an extension of the existing Isiolo airstrip." Planes at Nairobi's Wilson Airport: The new project will reduce congestion at Wilson Airport with the transfer of miraa operations to Isiolo. Photo/File The controversial Eldoret Airport which remains under-utilised, sucked in more than Sh2 billion. Ms Cidi said the project would be funded by the authority, and the project undertaken by the ministries of Transport and Roads and Public Works. It will be slightly larger than the busy Wilson Airport in Nairobi and will not have the capacity to handle large carriers. But it will be able to handle onward and international flights, unlike local airports which can only handle flights within Kenya. Its primary function will be to take over the miraa export flights that currently congest Wilson Airport. Miraa, which is grown exlusively in the neighbouring Meru districts, is at present ferried daily more than 300km to Nairobi for onward flights by light aircraft to Somalia and the Middle East. On May 10, the ministry of Lands and Housing published the physical planning partial development plans as required by law, inviting objections to the project from residents and other interested parties. "We published the notice and no objection was received within the 60-day period provided by law for objections to be lodged," the director of physical planning, Mrs Rosemary Wachira, told the Sunday Nation. "The rest of the processes are on course, awaiting the resettlement of the affected land owners." The project could, however, be delayed by legal challenges by a group of people claiming to have lost private land through alleged arbitrary relocation. Through the Murango Mwenda and Co. law firm, the landowners have written to KAA, the Isiolo county council, the district commissioner and the ministry of Lands and Housing demanding full compensation. But Isiolo South MP Adan Kuti, in whose constituency the airstrip is based, told the Sunday Nation that the land dispute had been recognised by the Lands ministry, and that a resettlement plan was being worked out for about 4,000 people. A KAA engineer said the expanded airstrip is designed to accommodate the general aviation type of aircraft with a maximum capacity of around 30 passengers. Ms Cidi explained that most of the work would involve lengthening and extending the runway, which she said was in excellent condition. The airstrip, she explained, also has enough infrastructure and physical facilities, including buildings, which will just require upgrading. The facilities to be developed include the following:- -A 1.5 km runway. -An apron of 200m by 150m. -A passenger terminal building of 816sq. m. - A cargo terminal with floor area of 1,000 sq. m. - An aircraft maintenance hangar with floor area of 2,000 sq. m. - A chain-link security fence. - An 800m access road to the main Nanyuki-Isiolo road. - Car park of 4,000 sq. m. The region is deprived of air travel infrastructure despite growing economic activities that need air transport, the KAA sources said. The airport is expected to ease congestion at Wilson Airport by handling the miraa flights to neighbouring countries and bring down the transportation costs to Nairobi from the growing area of Meru. Tourism has also been on a steady rise in recent years along the northern circuit, which extends from Mt Kenya through the Aberdares to Laikipia and Isiolo, and destinations further north in Marsabit with a combined capacity of more than 800 beds in addition to camping sites. Currently, tourists use mainly the road and small aircraft to the Nanyuki and numerous other private airstrips. The airport is also expected to serve horticulture products from the region which are currently driven by road to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. The authority says two other sites were considered, but were abandoned due to their proximity to military installations. After site investigations, the moving of the affected people and the approval of the partial development plans by the Lands ministry, the Authority is expected to have completed land surveys and designing in January, followed by tendering for construction work, which is to begin by August 2006. According to documents, the project's main aims are:- - To rehabilitate and expand the Isiolo airstrip to serve the region, including the tourist attraction areas in Isiolo and Meru Districts. - To provide airport facilities that will ease congestion at Wilson. - To improve transportation efficiency to the area and open it to investments as part of the economic recovery strategy for North-Eastern and upper Eastern provinces. A feasibility study carried out last year found that the Isiolo Airport would be close (less than 40 km) to the miraa-growing areas. Handling and exportation of the shrub would be more efficient. The project would also ease congestion at Wilson Airport. It was also found that Isiolo had enough space for development of hangars and other facilities.If this materializes, it will greatly decongest Wilson Airport in NBO by transferring a lot of Miraa (Khat) flights to Isiolo. It will also support tourism in the area. It is also great news for most GA operators. Cheers, Walter.