By Jacob Ng’etich
The construction of the Isiolo Airport passenger terminus has started.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) says the construction, which is the second phase of the modernisation process, will take the airport to international standards.
The first phase of the Isiolo International Airport was the construction of 1.4 kilometres runway that was completed last year.
During the commissioning of the airport, retired President Kibaki said upgrading Isiolo airstrip to an international airport would open up development in northern Kenya.
The phase that was started last month will include car parks and a modern passenger terminal to handle more than 600,000 people annually, an administration block with a floor area of 1,025 square metres and a passenger terminal car park to accommodate 200 cars.
According to Joshua Githinji, a security officer at the airport, there were planes that were using the airport already though it was not busy. “There are times when planes land in the airport — at least once a day, most of them are the small planes,” said Githinji.
Key role
The passenger terminus building for the airport that is the first of its kind in the region and will play a great role in northern Kenya is expected to be complete in two years.
Isiolo is a strategic town given that it is set to become a resort city in line with Vision 2030 with the planned city being part of the Lamu Port and South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) Corridor project passing through it.
The airport, which sits on 800-acre land, will also open up Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu counties and connect the Horn of Africa countries due to its strategic location.
With the construction of the slaughter house in the town, the airport will play an important role in the export of livestock products to key markets in Asia and the Middle East. Other plans are to extend the runway from the current 1.4 kilometres to 2.5 kilometres, and expand the apron extension and the upgrade to tarmac the road to connect the airport to the Nanyuki-Isiolo Road.
Isiolo airport will be the fifth international airport after the completion of upgrade of Kisumu Airport. Others include Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Moi International in Mombasa, and Eldoret International Airport.
