The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has attributed the nearly 2-hour power outage at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to system failures.
In an update released at 11:36 pm on Friday night, August 25, KAA stated that one of the generators serving JKIA's Terminal 1A and the parking silo failed to start.
The challenges were witnessed after the country was plunged into a nationwide power outage at around 9 pm on the said day.
"Jambo! Following a nationwide power blackout, one of the generators serving JKIA's T1A & Parking Silo failed to start resulting in an outage in a section of the airport," KAA explained.
"This has been rectified & all generators are now fully operational. Power has been restored to the affected areas," the authority added.
Electricity was restored at around 11:50 pm. Passengers at the immigration and baggage handling sections at JKIA were among those who were affected.
Transport CS, Kipchumba Murkomen, reacted to the power outage at JKIA and the subsequent uproar that ensued and promised to investigate the system failures that affected one of Africa's biggest airports.
"I am really sorry for what has happened at JKIA with the blackout. There is no excuse worth reporting, and there is no reason why our airport is in darkness," Murkomen, the former Elgeyo Marakwet Senator, apologised.
He further announced that he would address the nation on Saturday, August 26, to issue a comprehensive report on the technical hitches at JKIA.
"I will be announcing the decision we will make tomorrow at 9 am at JKIA after a meeting with the leadership of the airport. Once again, I am sorry," the CS added.
As of December 2022, JKIA had a backup generator and two power substations that ensured the facility was powered in the event of a nationwide outage.
Meanwhile, the Friday, August 25 nationwide power blackout affected Rift Valley, Mt Kenya and Western Kenya regions.
Kenya Power confirmed that it experienced a power outage in the aforementioned regions, including Nairobi and South Nyanza, following a technical hitch that affected two major lines supplying power to these areas.
