BY DICKENS WASONGA IN KISUMU.

Plans to upgrade the Kisumu airport into grade A- international status are at advanced stages but the 3b project risk being delayed further as controversies over land persist.

Kogony clan which was locked in a bitter row by the molasses plant over land compensation about three years ago- is yet again demanding to be rewarded before the airport project which is expected to offer a fortune to Kisumu city can be allowed to proceed.

The Kogony land council of elders welfare led by their chairman Mr. Jack Owido Oraro have singled out the Kenya Airports Authority whose CEO is Mr. George Muhoho as the group they claim is behind schemes to have them ignored as discussions over the project goes underway and they have vowed to block attempts to sideline them.

On Friday last week a high powered team of government officials who included two cabinet ministers an assistant minister and several senior officers from K.A.A led by Their MD and the chairman Eng. Erustus Mwongera were in Kisumu to talk with the locals and their leaders towards ensuring the 22 months project remains on course.

The team which included transport minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere, medical services minister prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o,lands assistant minister Ngozi Rai and Kisumu town west Mp Olago Aluoch had to plead with the members of the clan to allow works to commence even as the government moves to address issues raised by them in vain.

Ealier Olago made an appeal to the K.A.A to ensure that pending issues like compensation, environmental impact resulting from the project be looked into fully and fairly to avoid problems that might slow down the smooth completion of the massive project.

He also assured the team that the people of kisumu have all along supported the improvement and the upgrading of the airport and its facilities and that the project will boost the economic activities of the lake side city which is currently home to more than 600,000 residents.

Kisumu airport air craft pavement was put up in 1976 and since then very little has been done and due to aging it has experienced frequent failures which interferes with smooth aircraft operations.

the air port also lacks proper infrastructure to facilitate leasing of land of land for development of aircraft maintenance areas like hangers and so on.

Its expansion will therefore have the capacity to cope with the ever increasing growth in both regional and international traffic.

The project was commissioned 2 years ago after a feasibility study was done by the Netherlands Airport consultants.

A new run-way will be constructed and the existing one which is 2km will be extended to between 2000m-3000m.It will also be wider by between 30m-45.

According to Mr. Muhoho a new packing space for about 130 cars will be built together with a terminal building of 3000sqm with separate terminal facilities for both domestic and international passengers .

He said that the airport project will be of strategic importance to Kisumu given the town’s high potential in regional services as a result of E.A.C and COMESA and will also be used as a feeder to JKIA.

When completed, it is expected that big aircrafts such as Boeings737, 767,DC9 airbus,A310 used in operations for passengers will be able to land.

When the team was in Kisumu, it emerged that a group of K.A.A staff led by the airport manager who had gone to identify a site for ground braking ceremony were attacked by people believed to be opposed to the project.

They are alleged to have also threatened the manager with death if he dare set foot in the land again.

During the meeting which was also attended by members of Kogony, they vowed never again to listen to promises advanced their way by the government and without mincing words they promised to frustrate the project if they are not compensated.

Their chairman claims that several families are expected to move out of the project area by 15th of this month before works begin in the next 28 days.

The contractor, a Chinese firm is already mobilizing machinery in readiness to commence works after they signed the contract on 22nd of may.

The clan claims that a total of 800 acres of their ancestral land was taken from them and they demand Ksh.1b as compensation.

ENDS.

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Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 03:15:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dickens Wasonga
Subject: KISUMU AIRPORT UPGRADING STILL DOGGED BY CONTROVERSY