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Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has more than three years of financial, business, and technology research expertise, providing insights into Kenyan and global trends.
Nairobi—The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) has raised significant concerns about the proposed lease of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Adani Airport Holdings Limited.
In a statement signed by Engineer Shammah Kiteme, the president of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya, the IEK criticised several aspects of the 30-year deal.
The deal, which has been under a Privately Initiated Project (PIP) arrangement, seeks to expand JKIA’s passenger capacity from 10 million to 23 million by 2054.
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However, the IEK is alarmed that the plan appears to prioritise commercial infrastructure, such as hotels and malls, over essential aviation infrastructure like runways and taxiways.
"The proposal seems to focus more on City Side Development (CSD) rather than addressing immediate aviation challenges," the IEK's President, Shammah Kiteme, highlighted.
IEK's statement also outlined other pressing concerns with the Adani Group’s proposal:
The IEK strongly recommended the construction of a second runway at JKIA.
IEK argued that a new 10,000-foot runway with rapid exit taxiways and modern landing systems would enable the airport to handle larger aircraft, such as the Airbus A380, and improve overall safety and efficiency.
"This should be one of the primary considerations in any modernization project at JKIA. The absence of such a proposal in the Adani deal is concerning," Kiteme said in the press statement.
In addition to technical concerns, the IEK criticised the lack of transparency in the JKIA lease agreement.
They called for a more open and competitive process, as outlined in Kenya’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act, to ensure the best possible deal for the country.
In related news, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya have secured a court order blocking the implementation of Adani Airports PLC's proposal to take over JKIA.
On Monday, September 9, High Court Judge J. Chigiti granted the prayers of KHRC and LSK and leave to file a judicial review challenging the lease proposal.
Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke
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