Mombasa: 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.
According to Kenya News Agency, JKIA, the country’s international gateway and regional aviation hub, last underwent runway rehabilitation in 2016. The airport has been experiencing growing congestion during peak operating hours, impacting 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 stated that the Ministry of Transport is intensifying efforts to strengthen aviation safety and security. He noted that the JKIA expansion tendering process is almost complete.
The enhancement project is expected to include upgrades to the existing runway, the development of a partial parallel taxiway to improve airfield circulation, and the 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, Bodo emphasized the need for infrastructure upgrades, particularly the runway. He stated, “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.”
He further noted that the existing terminal at JKIA was designed to handle 7.5 million passengers annually, but the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is currently handling 8.6 million passengers, which indicates capacity constraints.
Bodo also highlighted that regional states are collaborating under CASSOA to ensure the safety of the region’s airspace. The Acting DG revealed a demand-supply gap for aviation professionals, stressing the need for a regional training fund for pilots and engineers.
“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 supported calls for the harmonization of regulations to facilitate seamless operations across the region. CASSOA Acting Executive Director Francis Lichuma explained the agency’s role in supporting partner states to meet requirements under the Chicago Convention.
The biennial symposium convenes aviation stakeholders to discuss innovations and emerging industry challenges to enhance safety and security in the region’s airspace. Lichuma noted significant progress in harmonizing aviation regulations among partner states since the symposium’s inception.
“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 highlighted the need for regional collaboration in 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.
