KAA begins Sh240 million upgrade of Kisumu airport

The Kenya Airports Authority has started the expansion and rehabilitation of Kisumu International airport ahead of the Africities summit.

The Sh240 million upgrade is expected to be completed within 90 days.

KAA managing director Alex Gitari said they have handed the works to China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation.

"We have told the contractor to stick within the time frame to ensure the works are completed on time," he said.

The director spoke during a ceremony to commence the works on Friday.

The Africities summit will attract a large number of delegates and V.I.Ps from across the continent.

Gitari said that in order to accommodate the large number of delegates, the airport required enhanced infrastructure.

He said as a result and with the guidance from the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works, they have identified various areas of improvements.

They include construction of a mezzanine floor within the passenger terminal building. This will increase passenger capacity and provide an additional VIP lounge.

“The extension of the existing passenger terminal building will provide an additional boarding gate, arrivals hall and parking area,” he said.

Gitari said the projects are not being undertaken solely for the upcoming summit, but are long-term investments.

He said they aim to deliver improved infrastructure to meet the increasing demand of the airport users and a conducive environment that fully supports aviation growth and customer satisfaction.

“We at KAA pledge our support to ensuring that this event is successful by providing quality airport infrastructure and passenger facilitation,” Gitari said.

Devolution PS Julius Korir said the project is among many others being done within the lake region in readiness for the conference.

Korir said the projects include construction of the convention center at Mamboleo Showground and the tarmacking of the Mamboleo-Uriri-Airport road that will ease movement of passengers from the airport to the venue.

The 6,000-seater convention centre is expected to be the fulcrum upon which investments in the western region will be positioned.

Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong'o said they are prepared and ready for the conference.

He said the conference will be a game changer to the region with various sector set to benefit from the summit.

The Africities summit will be held in Kisumu in May.

Last year,  the ninth edition of Africities summit was pushed by a month from April to May this year.

The conference was to be held between April 26 and 30 at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium. It will now be held from May 17 to 21.

The conference will be held at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium.

The Africities Kisumu secretariat said the event was postponed as the dates coincided with important international events hosted by the UN-Habitat board of directors and the United Nations High-Level Council on the Global Urban Agenda.

These activities will mobilise national governments, local authorities, international organisations, civil society and other key stakeholders that are targets for Africities.

"In addition, the UN-Habitat, the African Union Commission, and the Economic Commission for Africa are key partners of UCLG-A agenda and are expected to play an important role at the summit," the statement said.

The theme of the Kisumu forum is 'The Role of Intermediary Cities of Africa in the Implementation of Agenda 2030 of the United Nations and the African Union Agenda 2063'.

The agenda calls for the development of resilient dwellings that will be home to the bulk of the African population.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)