[Source: Business Daily, by Vitalis Kimutai]
Expansion and modernisation of the dilapidated Itembe airstrip in Bomet County has been hampered by lack of land.
The Kenya Airports Authority requires 40 acres for expansion and upgrade of the airstrip in a project that would see the runway expanded to 1.2km to meet the set international standards for such a facility.
The runway, which has been in poor state for the last 28 years, has been reduced to a training ground by driving schools, a cattle grazing field by villagers and a children’s playing pitch.
Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) General Manager Fred Odawo in charge of projects engineering services, said the planned upgrade would not proceed until the national or county governments bought the required.
“Currently the airstrip land is 13.5 acres with a one kilometre runway. There is an urgent need for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport at the national government to purchase the land for the expansion,” said Mr Odawo.
Alternatively, he said the county government could volunteer to buy the land which has been identified and mapped for expansion of the facility located about three kilometres from Bomet town, and off the Silibwet-Kapkwen road.
Mr Odawo told Shipping & Logistics at the weekend that the upgrade would entail construction of a runway, an apron and terminal at the disused airstrip.
Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok urged the national government to set aside funds to purchase the land for expansion.
“Surveying of the land has been done alongside its valuation. We are appealing to the national government to allocate funds for the upgrade of the airstrip as a matter of urgency,” said Dr Barchok.
In the 2017/2018 financial year Sh125 million was allocated for the airstrip upgrade by the national Treasury, while in 2018/2019 fiscal Sh63 million was budgeted for the project.
However, half of the money has since been returned to the Treasury and KAA has Sh81.5 million in its coffers for the works.
Mr Kiprotich said upgrade of the facility would make it easier for tourists to utilise it while travelling to and from the Maasai Mara in the neighbouring Narok County.
[Full article: Business Daily, by Vitalis Kimutai]
