Kenyans have expressed their rage over an incident where a Jambojet flight was delayed after its tyres got stuck on a runway at the Manda Airstrip in Lamu.
Eyewitnesses reveal that the plane was preparing to take off on the runway when it plunged into a big pothole.
In the video that has since gone viral, the aircraft stopped for a while as an airport staffer tried to clear the way for the stuck wheel.
At the time, passengers disembarked from the plane and were forced to wait for the crew to prepare the path.
However, the plane was still intact and continued with the journey to Nairobi.
Calls to Rehabilitate the Airstrip
In their reactions, Kenyans on social media urged the government to rehabilitate the airport citing safety concerns.
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An X user under the name Boor Dile underscored the importance of the facility to the region which has tourism sites among other economic activities.
“The power of positive thinking demands we politely ask the CS to visit this very strategic airstrip at Manda that Kenya needs as a hard currency earner through tourism and security response. In fact, we pray you upgrade it to an airport,” Dile commented.
Another one noted: “This airport needs to be closed and the runaway repaired. Disaster in waiting”.
Notably, the incident was not the first one to happen at Manda.
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In 2018, a Fly540 aircraft was forced to cut short its journey to take off after one of its rear wheels got stuck on the runway.
By the time of this publication, the Kenya Airports Authority was yet to comment on the incident.
Recent Rehabilitation of Airports
This comes amid recent pronouncements by Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen restating the government’s resolve to upgrade airports across the country.
On September 13, Murkomen witnessed the launch of the inaugural Skyward Express flight from Nairobi to Migori after the recent rehabilitation of Migori Airport.
“This auspicious launch in effect makes Migori Airstrip the third airstrip, under this administration, to start receiving commercial flights after Kabunde Airstrip in Homabay County and Kakamega Airstrip,” the CS noted.
