He confirmed the project's status after meeting with representatives of the State Department of Highways, including Secretary Davis Chirchir, during which they reviewed the project's master plan. «The modernization of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport began this week, at a cost of 155 KSh billion», he said in a statement.
Kindiki reported that he had received a progress report on the implementation, scope of work and expected stages of this major development project, as well as on ongoing construction work in all 47 counties. This confirmation followed a previous statement by President William Ruto that construction would begin in July.
On June 23, the Ministry announced the signing of a contract for the design and construction of JKIA with the Chinese Corporation for the Construction of Roads and Bridges (CRBC), which marked the official launch of the project. Earlier, Chirchir presented a detailed project plan, explaining that it would be implemented in stages and completed within three years.
The project includes the modernization of existing terminals and airfield infrastructure, as well as the construction of a new passenger terminal. Overall, the plan is expected to increase JKIA's capacity from 7.5 million to about 22 million passengers per year.
The project is being implemented against the background of ongoing litigation: The High Court has declared urgent a constitutional petition aimed at suspending the project. The petition raises transparency issues, including questions about the composition of the construction consortium, the financing structure, and alleged ties to a company associated with Zimbabwean businessman Weeknell Chiwayo. The lawsuit, filed by the Kenya Consumer Federation (COFEK), requires interim measures to stop any further renovation steps pending a decision on the petition. COFEK asked the court to prohibit any actions that could create contractual, financial or government obligations related to the project, as well as ensure the safety of all documents, including agreements, financing mechanisms and permits.
Comments (0)