The government plans to repair the Ksh1 billion runway at the Isiolo International Airport on grounds that it's a threat to human life.
In a Tuesday, March 16, meeting, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Manager for Wilson Airport and Northern Kenya, Joseph Okumu, told the Eastern Regional Development Implementation and Coordination Committee (RDICC) that experts had recommended for the airport runway's repair.
He further explained that the engineers noticed that the runway had developed dangerous cracks.
It was further revealed that only 1050 meters of the runway was still intact, and that it could not handle huge capacity aircraft.
The facility, which measures 1.4 kilometers, was constructed at a cost of Ksh1 billion. The state is yet to settle on repair costs for the project
It was commissioned by President Mwai Kibaki in 2013 as part of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport(LAPSSET) corridor.
The airport was expected to help transform Isiolo into a resort city under the 2030 blueprint. Since then, the airport has suffered numerous setbacks including low traffic and poor infrastructure.
A representative from KAA confirmed to Kenyans.co.ke that the facility has poor drainage, which hinders the airport from operating 24 hours.
During the meeting, the engineers also advised the committee to urge Miraa traders in the North Eastern region to use the infrastructure once it is ready.
The airport was constructed in order to serve the area's residents who are Miraa farmers. It was aimed at cutting down the time they spent on the 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.
The airport, which is valued at Ksh2.7 billion, has been laying idle since its construction in July 2017.
