The project engineers of Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) have confirmed that the first phase of the phased extension is underway. The extension of the three kilometer runway will be completed by the end of July 2009.
Following an agreement with the locals who demanded full compensation for their lands from KAA before endorsing the project, Philemon Chamwada, project manager of KAA, confirmed that 500 meters of the runway had already reached completion. He adds that the engineers are about to move to the base of the runway and construct the first 500 meters touch down in phase two.
Chamwada was quoted stating in an interview that they plan to increase the runway width to 45 meters from the current 35 meters, to accommodate bigger planes.
Aimed to give Kisumu City a major face-lift as the commercial hub in Western Kenya, the expansion will attract more investors to the area.
Joseph Okumu, the airport manager, says that the airport lounge can only accommodate up to 500 passengers while the car park has the capacity of 100.
Undertaken by the Chinese Overseas Company, construction is expected to reach completion by September 2010.
