Maureen Ongwae
6 May 2008
Nairobi — People evicted in 1940s, from a part of the 362-hectare land on which Kisumu Airport is built, have asked for compensation ahead of its planned expansion and modernisation.
Those evicted from Block D of the land had not been compensated, councillor George Weda said Monday.
Nothing done
"Some of the people evicted from Block D were allocated land at Muhoroni but upon reaching there, the section was already occupied and to date, nothing has been done," Mr Weda said.
The community, through Mr Weda, has made fresh demands to the Government and also want to be paid a disturbance allowance.
"When the people were evicted from their ancestral land, they were not given notice. We demand a 15 per cent disturbance allowance since we were greatly disorganised," the councillor said.
However, some of the evicted people were resettled with each family getting Sh10,300 out of the Sh15 million given for reimbursement in the 1940s.
On Friday, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) managing director George Muhoho said a Chinese firm had been contracted to expand Kisumu airport at a cost of Sh3 billion.
Mr Muhoho said the Government would sign the deal with China Overseas Engineering Group Corporation next week.
"The company will mobilise the whole re-construction which will take off after 28 days," said Mr Muhoho while on tour of the airport at the airport.
Its two-kilometre runway which was built in 1976 without any provisions for a drainage system will be expanded.
Currently, a primary school is on the plot where the airport expansion is set to kick off and KAA has asked the community to find an alternative place.
Work closely
Mr Muhoho said the authority would set up a committee to work closely with engineers with the aim of ensuring the facility continues to operate smoothly during the expansion.
The airport's terminus on the Kisumu-Busia highway will be expanded to accommodate more travellers.
After completion of the reconstruction in 22 months, the airport is expected to handle more traffic and bigger aircraft. Currently, about four airlines use the airport regularly.
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