Details have emerged about a costly airport financed by taxpayers to the tune of Ksh2.7 Billion that is yet to serve them nearly two years later.
A report by Business Daily indicated that Isiolo Airport, which was constructed in July 2017, was yet to fully carry out its purpose and that it has not attracted any operations of scheduled passenger or cargo flights.
The airport was reportedly constructed in order to serve the area's residents who are Miraa farmers. It was aimed at cutting down the time they spent on roads transporting the commodity to Nairobi.
The farmers have, however, largely shunned the facility arguing that it was too costly to use planes to transport the highly perishable commodity.
It costs Ksh 200,000 to transport 1.5 tonnes of miraa from Isiolo to Nairobi while it only costs Ksh 50,000 to transport the same by bus.
“This cost is too high and there is no way farmers can agree to have their products transported by air. There is a need to think about incentives that will convince miraa traders to use the airport.
"But if the runway would be extended, then we would have flights leaving Isiolo for Somalia, the major destination for miraa at the moment,” argued Nyambene Miraa Traders Association (Nyamita) chairman Kimathi Munjuri.
The paper further revealed that the facility was lacking some amenities which is why passengers have been avoiding it the more. There is no control tower, no landing lights and the runway is too short at just 1.4 kilometres.
Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) highlighted that it would not be carrying out operations at the airport since the level of business at the facility won't sustain its operations.
“Until such a time there are flights operating at the airport, we cannot deploy traffic controllers,” stated KCAA Director-General Gilbert Kibe.
Workers at the airport disclosed that the facility is only used occasionally by small chartered aircraft and that a local charter company discontinued its operations last year due to lack of passengers.
