CS Murkomen forms 11-member committee to probe state of airports, submit report in 14 days

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen now says it will take about three years to completely fix the current state of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and give it a new modern look.

Murkomen, who spoke in a press address on Wednesday, said the facility is old and most of its infrastructures are in a dilapidated state, adding that the government needs time to undertake an entire overhaul.

The CS, who seemingly dismissed critics over his perceived failure to address the mess at the airport about a year in office, defended the current regime saying it is more focused on a long-term solution which needed a procedural approach.

“As you have seen JKIA is ageing, it was commissioned in 1978 and is older than me. This infrastructure has not received the adequate attention interns of maintenance required,” he said.

“I saw some people saying that Murkomen is lamenting and it is one year, he should have done this and that…Infrastructure issues in a country must be planned for a long period. We don’t want patching here and there…That is why one year is not enough to make a complete overhaul of infrastructure that has been left and dilapidated in this manner.”

He hence instituted an 11-member technical committee to look into the issues surrounding JKIA as well as other airports including Wilson and Moi.

The committee is expected to come up with an interim report within the next 14 days, and the final report within 28 days.

CS Murkomen said the report would inform works and decisions to help the ministry forge the way forward.

“I have formed a technical committee to investigate the status of our airports in particular JKIA, Wilson International Airport and Moi International Airport in Mombasa,” he stated.

“The terms of reference will be to access the state of infrastructures facilities, to access the state of electromechanical facilities, review the work in the last 2 years by contractors and to identify immediate remedial measures to be undertaken.”

The committee will be chaired by Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Director Eng. Walter Ogolla, and will comprise George Ngugi as well as Maj. Nepee Iltasayon, who are also directors at the State agency.

Other members include Martin Wamae (State Department for Public Works), Richard Cherop (KCAA), Eng. Christine Nzai, Eng. Judith Kimeu (KAA), Eng. James Mbui (KAA), Architect Lawrence Mochama, attorney Sharon Asiyo and Eng. Fredrick Kabunge.

According to the CS, who reiterated his past remarks that the former regime is to blame for the crisis at JKIA, his ministry is working to put up a modern terminus and therefore permanently solve the issues.

He thus reassured the public that beginning January 2024, through a Public Private Partnership, the government will initiate the construction of a modern terminus.

“It is the responsibility of all of us who have been in leadership in the past to be held into account for the neglect of this important facility. When I say this, it is not just about an individual as the focus is now on the President. In 2013, under Jubilee administration, we mooted a plan to build a new terminal which was supposed to be complete by 2016,” he noted.

“When I was appointed one year ago, I promised to deal with the case pending in court in Paris and in China. I can confirm that the Green Terminal space is free for us to advertise and we will advertise in January.”

He added: “Hopefully, we will get a contractor by January who will do through a PPP by June next year so that within the next three years we no longer have these very old structures.”