The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has assured passengers and airlines that the country’s airport runways remain safe and operational, even as the tendering process for the expansion of the runway and terminal at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) nears completion.
JKIA, the country’s international gateway and regional aviation hub -last underwent runway rehabilitation in 2016, amid growing congestion during peak operating hours affecting its runway system, passenger terminals and apron areas.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 7th EAC Aviation Symposium in Mombasa, organized by the Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA), KCAA Acting Director General Nicholas Bodo said the Ministry of Transport is intensifying efforts to strengthen aviation safety and security, noting that the JKIA expansion tendering process is almost complete.
The enhancement project is expected to include upgrades to the existing runway, development of a partial parallel taxiway to improve airfield circulation, and construction of two rapid exit taxiways and a runway-end exit taxiway to reduce runway occupancy time, improve landing efficiency, and increase overall runway throughput.
While assuring passengers of their safety, he said infrastructure, particularly the runway, requires upgrading.
“Hopefully if it is successful, we should have our runway rehabilitated, existing terminals rehabilitated and a new terminal of about 10 million passengers annually. Infrastructure especially the runway if not maintained to proper standard can pose a threat to passengers and aircraft,” stated Bodo.
He noted that the existing terminal at JKIA was designed to handle 7.5 million passengers annually, but Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is currently handling 8.6 million passengers, which means at some point there are constraints in terms of capacity.
“That is why the existing terminal is going to be expanded and a new terminal will be built,” Bodo added.
Bodo said regional States are working together under CASSOA to ensure the safety of the region’s airspace.
The Acting DG also revealed that demand for professionals in the aviation sector currently exceeds supply, highlighting the urgent need to establish a regional training fund for pilots and engineers to serve both regional and global markets.
“We know there is demand. It is only that the training for a pilot is not the cheapest thing. We are trying to see if we can have discussion on how to train these professionals for the market,” he said.
He also backed calls for harmonization of regulations, saying it would allow aviation players to operate more seamlessly across the region.
CASSOA Acting Executive Director (ED) Francis Lichuma said the EAC agency was established to support partner states in meeting their requirements and obligations under the Chicago Convention.
The biennial symposium brings together aviation stakeholders to discuss innovations and emerging industry challenges aimed at strengthening safety and security across the region’s airspace.
The CASSOA Ag. ED noted that since the inception of the symposium, significant progress has been made in harmonizing aviation regulations among partner states.
“The most worth mentioning is we have developed harmonized regulations around safety and security, harmonized examination systems around aviation,” stated Lichuma.
He added, “What that means is there is harmony in the community. One person doing a pilot exam for example in Kenya is sitting the same exam with someone else in Burundi or South Sudan. This is aligned with the wider EAC vision of deepening integration.”
KCAA Chairman Brown Ondego underscored the need for regional collaboration on aviation safety and legislation to support seamless air transport.
“As you understand, air transport is the safest way to travel in the world up to today. It is also safe because it is highly regulated,” stated Ondego.
“In this symposium we are looking at how do we harmonize the regulations that we have, how can East Africa countries come together so that we have common regulations, legislations and technical guidance materials so that whoever is travelling in East Africa airspace is safe,” he added.
By Sadik Hassan
