Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA ) has yet again come under the spotlight after travellers lamented over incidents of flooding at the airport on Monday evening.
In social media posts, travellers including human rights activist Boniface Mwangi shared videos and photos of the walking alleys and pavements that were filled with stagnating water.
Mwangi described sections of the airport as a steeplechase training ground calling out the management over the inadequate preparations for the rains despite the Kenya Meteorological Department issuing an advisory of heavy rainfall prior.
"If you’re travelling tonight through JKIA, be prepared to get into your flight drenched. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is a masterclass airport, it offers steeplechase facilities. You will jump obstacles, waddle in water, and navigate potholes," he stated.
Mwangi's sentiments were also echoed by another traveller, Crystal Simeoni, who narrated how the luggage of some of the travellers fell into the stagnating water costing some of them losses.
She also questioned the airport officials over the matter including why the passengers alighting from the plane were exposed to the rain despite the air bridges being available.
An airbridge is an elevated extension that connects the plane to the terminal and allows the passengers to connect to both points without being exposed to harsh weather conditions such as rain.
"So all the air bridges at JKIA are damaged because of the rain we are told. So we are here waiting in the rain for a bus that has also rained inside and is wet. We are a joke," she lamented.
"And because it's raining and this international airport of ours has no rain protection, all the taxis and ground transfer people are huddled just by the exit."
KAA and other senior government officials are yet to comment on the matter amidst pressure from Kenyans to have the drainage rectified amid the ongoing heavy rains set to continue to December.
JKIA has been in the spotlight severally this year owing to taxes on goods of passengers and the nationwide blackout which halted operations at the airport for nearly two hours.
Senior officials including former KAA Managing Director Alex Gitari and other senior officials were fired after the August blackout that also resulted in the failure of the generator to power on.
