Kenya: President Kibaki to Launch Upgrading of Isiolo Airport

By NewsfromAfrica

NAIROBI--- President Mwai Kibaki will on Friday preside over the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Isiolo International Airport.

The Isiolo International Airport will be developed at a cost of Ksh900 million by upgrading the existing facilities at the airport.

The upgrade follows the successful completion of the construction of a 1.4 Kilometers run way, an apron, two taxiways, patrol road, fencing and runway safety works, which the President shall officially commission.

Kenya Airports Authority Managing Director, Eng. Stephen Gichuki, said that construction of the airstrip and associate works was concluded in July 2012 at a cost Ksh700 million.

He disclosed that a contractor, Northern Construction, has already been identified to upgrade it to an international airport.

 “We are upgrading the airport into a fully-fledged international airport by increasing its capacity and services for the benefit of the economy of Isiolo and the rest of the country,” Mr Gichuki added.

The runway will be expanded from the current 1.4 kilometers to 2.5 kilometers; while the apron, which can presently accommodate three code ‘C’ aircrafts, will be enlarged to accommodate nine. A passenger terminal building with an area of 4,500 square meters and capacity to handle 125,000 passengers annually will also be put up.

Other facilities that are lined up in the upgrade include: construction of taxiways cargo terminus, parking area, fencing, fire station, meteorological centre, hangar, the control tower, and staff quarters among others.

Once complete, Isiolo International Airport is expected to play a pivotal role in unlocking the potential of the Northern tourism circuit in which Isiolo sits and has several attractions.

Under Vision 2030, Kenya’s long term national development plan, Isiolo has been identified to host one of the five resort cities that will be set up as flagship projects.

President Kibaki is expected to lead a team of senior government officials to the ceremony in Isiolo.