Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has assured the country that the perennial leakages and flooding incidents at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) will be a thing of the past.
In a statement on April 30, the CS said the Ministry of Roads and Transport and the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) commenced constructions to fix the leakages at Terminal 1B and 1C.
Murkomen said the government is impressed by the commendable work done by KAA under the ministry’s directive and with an austere budget.
“I visited the airport to inspect the progress of ongoing works to build a roof above Terminal 1B and 1C which will solve the perennial leakages onto level 1 while creating more capacity at the facility for a new arrival terminal and lounges as we prepare to decommission Terminal 1E,” Murkomen said.
Electricity & Flooding Update
The CS explained that the ministry has stabilized the electricity supply at JKIA and is moving to the next phase of greening the airport by installing solar power.
Murkomen also toured the cargo side that was affected by flood waters from Mombasa Road and the Expressway.
He revealed that the KAA has managed the water issue and is seeking a lasting solution.
The CS urged the Authority to keep working with JKIA stakeholders to ensure Kenya retains its place as the aviation hub of the region.
Also Read: Govt Explains Reason for JKIA Leakage Despite Murkomen’s Directive
“To mitigate future flooding, the Cabinet has passed a recommendation to formulate a master plan for the drainage system within the Nairobi metropolis, which will be replicated nationwide and support water management for the next five decades,” he said.
Furthermore, as a long-term solution, the Ministry is working on constructing a new airport terminal through a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Murkomen emphasized that JKIA is a critical facility that provides direct and indirect employment to over 15,000 Kenyans.
He explained that the Airport is a crucial trade and transportation hub for goods and people across the country, the region, and the globe.
Also Read: JKIA Changes Access Points After Flooding Incident
KAA Explains JKIA Flooding Incident
On April 26, KAA announced that the roofs at Terminals 1B and 1C were under repair by contractors following a directive from CS Murkomen.
KAA explained that the leakages experienced that day were as a result of the ongoing heavy rains in Nairobi which had overwhelmed the temporary drainage infrastructure installed by the contractor at the Airport.
“Over the last few days, the heavy rainfall in Nairobi has adversely impacted on the temporary drainage infrastructure put by the contractor on site, resulting in the current leakages being experienced at the terminal,” the statement read in part.
Furthermore, the repairs at the terminals had begun in March 2024 for a period of three months.
The Authority said the contractors had been instructed to ensure that the repairs are complete within the agreed timeline amid the rains.
Do you want to be part of an updated community without the interruptions of unwanted messages? Click the link below and join our WhatsApp Channel!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
