Ukunda airstrip set for upgrade

By Philip Mwakio

Kwale, Kenya: Plans to upgrade the Ukunda airstrip in Kwale County are in top gear.  Kwale County Executive in charge of Tourism and ICT Adam Sheikh said that once the runway is extended, larger wide-bodied aircraft would be able to land at the facility.

 Sheikh said the extension work on the airstrip’s runway from the current 800 metres to 2 kilometres will be done. At the same time, relocation of Mkwakwani Primary School, which is near the facility, has been prioritised and funds allocated for the exercise. “About Sh50 million has been budgeted for and approved to have the school relocated first. This will be done to ensure pupils are not affected in their learning sessions once work starts,’’ he said.

Sheikh said that Diani and the larger Kwale County has huge air traffic potential and could easily attract larger aircrafts like the Embraer 190 operated by the national carrier, Kenya Airways to start flights originating from Nairobi and upcountry land in Ukunda.

Already an influx of expatriate communities working at the Kwale International Sugar Company Limited (Kiscol) and Base Titanium (BT) provides potential for air passengers.  Kiscol is reviving cane sugar farming and is putting up a state of the art milling plant in the former Ramisi Sugar while BT has already started mining and exporting titanium ores from its Kwale Mineral Sands Mines.