Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has expressed satisfaction with the ongoing efforts to address roof leakages at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport’s Terminal 1B and 1C.
The repair works currently underway aim to solve perennial leakages at the airport whenever it rains heavily.
Speaking when he visited the facility to inspect the progress, Murkomen said he was happy that the works were going on as scheduled.
“I’m impressed by the commendable work done by KAA under our directive and with austere budget,” he said.
Murkomen at the same time revealed that they have since stabilised electricity supply and are now moving to the next phase of greening the airport.
This, he said, is through the installation of solar power and even selling excess to the national grid.
JKIA, a crucial trade and transportation hub for goods and people across the country, the region and the globe, has had its reputation marred with frequent power outages.
During his visit, Murkomen also toured the cargo side that was affected by flood waters from Mombasa Road and the Expressway.
He commended the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) for its efforts in managing the situation as a stopgap measure.
The CS also urged the agency to continue working in partnership with JKIA stakeholders to ensure they retain their place as the aviation hub of the region.
To mitigate future flooding, Murkomen revealed that the Cabinet has passed a recommendation to formulate a master plan for the drainage system within the Nairobi metropolis, which will be replicated nationwide and support water management for the next five decades.
“Furthermore, as a long-term solution, the Ministry is working on constructing a new airport terminal through a public-private partnership (PPP) model,” he said.
The CS was accompanied by KAA acting managing director Henry Ogoye and Engineering General Manager Meshack Ochieng.
On Friday, services at some sections of the country’s biggest airport were paralysed following the leakages.
Some roofs at the airport are also leaking, causing operations of Terminal 1C that serves Qatar, Lufthansa, Ethiopia, Turkish and Rwanda international airlines to halt.
In a statement, Kenya Airports Authority moved to address roof leakages following a directive from CS Murkomen.
