Isiolo Airport revival pegged on county, state partnership
An aircraft at the Isiolo International Airport on October 2019.
Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo is hopeful that a partnership with the national government will ramp up operations at the dormant Isiolo International Airport.
The facility has remained underused ever since its launch by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2017 after a Sh2.7 billion upgrade. It is part of the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor (Lapsset) project.
While the airport has the potential to grow as a cargo hub and boost tourism in the upper eastern circuit, lack of a control tower, aviation lights and delayed improvement and extension of its 1.4-kilometre runway is a major hindrance.
Mr Guyo revealed that the priority was extending the runway to accommodate cargo planes in efforts to attract horticultural farmers in Meru and Laikipia counties as well as miraa farmers in Meru.
“My administration is working closely with the national government to ensure the airport is up and running as soon as possible,” Mr Guyo said, adding that several airlines had already expressed interest to ply the Isiolo-Nairobi route. When operationalised, he said, the airport will ease transport for tourists visiting the county’s Shaba, Buffalo and Bisanadi national reserves as well as the famous Merti plateau, thereby boosting local tourism.
Part of the problem is the stalled construction of a Sh20.9 million cargo shade with the capacity to hold 10,000 tonnes daily, which the Kenya Airports Authority had announced in May 2021 would be completed in two months.
During an inspection tour, Kenya Airports Authority Managing Director Alex Gitari also announced that the runaway would be extended to 2.5 kilometres and routine repair and maintenance done.
“The shade will be complete by July to attract business people while phase two of the runway extension will start soon,” Mr Gitari said at the time. The official said that the government would partner with Isiolo and Meru counties to market the airport as part of its new business development plan.
Three months later, former Transport Principal Secretary Solomon Kitunguu revealed that the contractor did shoddy work and left under unclear circumstances. Mr Kitunguu, accompanied by Mr Gitari, then promised that a new contractor would be picked to complete the work in four months.
Since its commissioning, only one airline – Budget Airline East African Air Express (formerly Fly Sax) – has attempted to use the airport on three occasions. In February 2020, five months after its failed second attempt, the airline announced that it would resume flights on the Nairobi-Isiolo route on Valentine’s Day, but the flights never kicked off.
The lack of business has seen the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority severally withdraw its officers deployed at the airport, among them traffic controllers.
The airport has a 5,000m2 passenger terminal with a VIP lounge, airline front offices capable of handling 500 passengers per hour and nine check-in stations for domestic and international flights.
