The government has commenced plans to undertake a major facelift of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to enhance passenger experience and increase traffic.
According to the plans, which were unveiled in the Medium Term Plan launched by President William Ruto on Wednesday, March 22, the government will construct a brand new terminal at the international facility.
It is indicated that the new terminal will have the capacity to handle 20 million passengers annually.
Construction of the new terminal is set to begin sometime this year and will be completed by the end of the 2025/2026 financial year.
Additionally, the government will undertake renovations of the terminal 1E.
"The programme seeks to facilitate expeditious and safe movement of aircraft in Kenya’s airspace and improve passenger handling services through the expansion and modernization of aviation facilities and services.
"This involves the construction of an additional terminal facility at JKIA with a capacity of handling 20 million passengers annually, the upgrading of facilities in terminal 1E to permanent status, and the installation of equipment and systems for air navigation services," read the plan in part.
On his part, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that draft architectural designs of the facility had already been formulated with the idea of linking the new terminal with the old terminal.
As part of plans to save on cost, the government is planning on undertaking the project under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework.
“The terminal will house both local and international passengers but subject to the completion of a feasibility study that is currently ongoing,” he stated then.
Notably, the transformation comes at a time when the airport has been marred with controversy over leaking roofs at terminals and flooded pavements among others.
At the same time, the airport has been affected during power blackouts owing to the failure of the backup generators.
