Rehabilitation work and improvement on Kenya’s second-largest international Airport, the Moi International Airport has been delayed to March.
Acting Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director Alex Gitari revealed the report and said that works originally meant to be completed in December last year, have now been pushed owing to Covid-19.
”The mitigation measures put in place by the government affected construction time hours,” said Gitari, Gitari who led a team of senior managers on an inspection tour of the facility. He was accompanied by APEC Ltd chief executive and Chairman James Mathu, the consultants of the project.
Upgrade works
The Sh 7billion project involves Airport‘s aircraft pavements and Airfield Ground Lighting systems (AGL) funded by the French Development Agency. Gitari said the upgrade will have a sustainable maintenance regime to keep the runway and aprons in good condition for 20 years and enhance the airport’s green rating through rainwater harvesting.
“The Moi International Airport’s rehabilitation works will ensure that all pavements offer safe operations to aircraft and avoidance of operational delays and disruptions occasioned by poor airfield ground lighting, “added Gitari.
On the other hand two major projects are ongoing to harvest rainwater from the airport terminal building roof to underground tanks with the capacity to take in seven million litres. KAA Coast Regional Manager Peter Wafula said the water will be treated and purified before consumption. The authority is also renovating the dilapidated cargo terminal. Gitari remained optimistic about the tourism sector’s rebound following the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines. And in efforts to boost exports and imports through the facility,
KAA has in the past one week conducted a nationwide tour of airports and airfields in Western parts of the country including Nyanza and ending up with the Kenyan Coast with visits to Ukunda, Lamu and Malindi airports respectively.
