Wilson Airport encroachers in trouble as senators seek demolition of buildings

The government is considering constructing a new runway at Wilson Airport instead of demolishing buildings that have encroached on the facility’s airspace. 

The State Department for Aviation and Aerospace Development argues that there is enough land to put up the new runway if this becomes the only viable option for the government.

However, this option does not sit well with the Parliament, as the Senate Departmental Committee on Roads, Transport and Infrastructure says the government ought to bring down the buildings no matter the expected losses. 

Members of the Committee tabled their case supporting the demolition on Friday last week, saying the government should not hand out favours to the developers. 

Principal Secretary in the State Department for Aviation and Aerospace Development Teresiah Mbaika, however, opines that bringing the buildings down would result in huge losses to the owners. 

She seemed to express fear that the move may also hit a snag since most of the developers have the right documentation. 

This is the dilemma that the PS presented even as he tabled a list of 41 buildings that were found to have encroached the Wilson Airport’s airspace. 

These are buildings whose height is above 21 metres, which is the recommendation by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

One of the buildings is the new office complex for Members of Parliament, which has exceeded the height level by six metres. 

The 41 buildings are said to have either exceeded the recommended height outright or do not have obstruction clearance from KCAA.

The 41 buildings were singled out during a survey conducted in October 2024 that sampled 134 structures. 

This was in South C, Lang'ata and Nairobi West areas. Lang'ata Road corridor, South C and Nairobi West estates are said to be the high-risk areas. 

“Encroachments increase climb or descent gradients and manoeuvrability along approach and departure paths,” says the PS in her submission to the Committee. 

Peris Tobiko, a nominated Senator and member of the committee, dismissed the suggestion by the PS of saving the developers the impending losses. 

She said the best way to deal with it was to demolish the buildings to ensure no other developer makes the same move. 

“But what is easier? Is it to bring down all the buildings on the flight path or come up with a plan that works for us?” posed PS Mbaika.

“Some of those people have approvals by different agencies, including Nairobi City County.”

The PS argues that there is already available land for the new runway. This move appears cheaper than a push and pull with developers, who are likely to take the fight to court.

“There is room to work on a runway that faces the national park. And there is land for that matter, which is government-owned, held by The University of Nairobi,” she said. 

However, Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua said the plan to offer reprieve to the developers will be a sign of double standards by the government to its citizens. 

He said when common citizens are found to have built their structures along riparian land or on road reserves, the government descends on them and demolishes without question. 

“Those are people’s investments,” he said.

“What message will we be sending to Kenyans; that if your investments are Sh10,000 or Sh15,000 or Sh20,000, we bring it down without reference to you, but if there is a building that contravenes the same law, and you have put Sh1 billion, we can excuse you?”

Apart from the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), other developers who have exceeded the recommended height have been named in the survey. 

Aviation sector

They include Moses Muchai whose structure is 48 metres, a deviation of 22 metres, compared to the approved height by KCAA of 26. 

Adizone Ltd is another developer whose structure was found to be 23 metres above the 29 metres recommended by KCAA. 

Anastasia Wariara Kaara also owns a building that is 56 metres instead of 33. Abdullahi Ahmed Mohamed, another developer, owns a building whose height is 54 metres instead of the prescribed 31.

Others are Nai West Apartments Ltd, which is 52 metres instead of 47; Nairobi East (South C) Hospital Ltd, which is 50 metres instead of 33; and Local Authorities Provident Fund (Lapfund), whose structure is 69 metres instead of 63.

The Senate Departmental Committee had met the PS and other stakeholders in the aviation sector, namely the KCAA, Kenya Airports Authority, and the Kenya Association of Air Operators, to discuss the status of Wilson Airport’s infrastructure.

Wilson Airport is currently undergoing renovations, one of them being rehabilitation of the 07/25 runway, at a cost of Sh1.4 billion. 

The Committee decided that all players, including Nairobi City County, will appear before it to determine how best to deal with the buildings.

PS Mbaika revealed a new master plan for Wilson Airport that is being prepared by the same consultant who developed the one for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

“We are awaiting the final report from the consultant,” she said, not divulging whether this new runway is included in the said plan.