Kabunde Airstrip: Viral video of plane landing on dusty runway in Homa Bay is misleading

The occasion, officiated by Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen was marked with pomp, colour and Nyatiti dances. 

A week after the ceremony, a video has gone viral on social media, depicting a flight landing at the said airstrip. 

In the video, which is said to be from Kabunde airstrip, a plane lands on a dusty runway, with a number of onlookers by the side.

😂😂😂😂Kabunde Airstrip pic.twitter.com/Ct7upxczm6

However, a fact check by Citizen Digital reveals that the state of Kabunde airstrip is not as shown in the video.  

The fake video has since caught the eyes of Murkomen, who brushed off the claims saying; “Mko na mchezo sana , Kabunde is a very good airport.”

Further investigations reveal that the video is that of a Douglas DC-6 aircraft landing on a makeshift strip in Pretoria, South Africa. 

The video was first shared online in December 2010, by a YouTube user named Mr de Beer. It showed the flight landing at 07:50, with dust filling the air. 

The airstrip has since gained popularity, with passengers sharing their experiences on getting to Homa Bay and Nairobi in 45 minutes. 

During the launch of commercial services, Murkomen revealed plans to expand the airstrip’s runway. 

“I have instructed the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to immediately implement the plan to extend the runway at the airstrip to accommodate larger aircrafts in our effort to promote local transport, even as we move to open up many parts of the country to ease connectivity,” he said. 

The commercial flight by Renegade air will be flying to Homa Bay every Monday, Friday and Sunday.