Kakamega Airstrip falls apart just two years after Ksh.174M renovation

Residents of Kakamega County are calling on the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to rehabilitate the Kakamega Airstrip to provide a lifeline to hundreds of businesses that relied on flight operations in and out of the airstrip.

This appeal comes just a week after budget airline Skyward Express announced the suspension of flights to Kakamega due to the deteriorating condition of the runway, which has fallen into disrepair barely two years after President William Ruto commissioned it following renovations costing over Ksh.174 million.

In its communiqué, Skyward Express pointed out that the condition of the runway did not meet their safety standards, necessitating the temporary suspension of flights to and from Kakamega. This decision impacted not only passengers but also business operators in the area.

"Back then, you could see businesses moving swiftly. I had a friend who would tell me he was going to Nairobi to get his work documents, and after 45 minutes, you’d hear him say, ‘Yes, I’ve arrived, and business is continuing.’ Things were smooth, and everything was going well," Hillary Ambale, a Kakamega resident, told Citizen TV.

"Now that it’s closed, you have to drive from Kakamega to reach Nairobi, which takes almost ten hours. This makes it difficult and even affects meetings you were supposed to attend," Isaac Mutiso, a trader, added.

"We don’t have work even now. If you tell a customer there’s an airstrip and they want to go there, they say they would, but it’s closed. Now, you have to take them all the way to places like Mumias, and if you look at the money they give you for that, it’s just a loss," Royland Anyika, another resident, added.

In December 2022, President William Ruto commissioned the Kakamega Airstrip’s runway, taxiway, and an expanded apron following rehabilitation works undertaken by the KAA at a cost of Ksh.174.4 million.

During a development tour in the Western region in 2023, President Ruto likewise revealed plans to expand the Kakamega Airstrip runway to accommodate larger aircraft flying in and out of the area.

KAA has acknowledged the poor state of the runway, stating that repair works costing Ksh.7 million will commence on Thursday.

Additionally, the authority will have engineers audit the initial works done on the runway, and further repairs will be carried out in due course.

“We acknowledge the poor state of the runway at the Kakamega Airstrip which has been caused by the weight of the aircraft. We will have engineers conduct an audit of works done to determine whether they met required standards. However, a contractor will be on site from October 10th to conduct remedial repairs of the runway," KAA Corporate Communications Manager Angela Mite said.