Nairobi — The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has blamed the embarrassing roof leaks at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA to decade-long under-investment.
In a statement, the authority's acting Managing Director Henry Ogoye stated that the government is currently funding the facility expansion and upgrade.
"Over the last ten years, JKIA has suffered inadequate facility and infrastructure capacity upgrades to the extent that even temporary interventions became permanent solutions hence the current state of affairs in service disruptions," he stated.
Ogoye further said that the government has commenced the process of addressing infrastructure development of the facility covering the expansion of the passenger terminal, runway capacity and provision of additional aircraft parking bays beginning this financial year.
He explained that the board and staff of KPA are aligned with the concerns of the public and they will implement the Government civil investing program to facilitate effective delivery.
"The Board, Management and staff of Kenya Airports Authority are aligned with the concerns of the public and are implementing the Government's civil aviation investing program to facilitate seamless, efficient, and effective service delivery", added Ogoye.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and KAA have come under fire online following complaints of leaking roofs at the terminals of JKIA.
"One of our team members experienced these unusual conditions at JKIA. Perhaps the management at Kenya Airports Authority views this as normal and acceptable," said the financial research firm Mwango Capital in a video showing rain seeping through the roof above a check-in area and running through the terminal.
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"We thought it best to bring it to the public's attention for action," the company added, in a post that was shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
The post prompted more complaints about the airport's poor state, which has been worsened by ongoing heavy rains.
The airport also faced criticism last weekend after its management announced that it took 20 minutes to restore power there, following a nationwide blackout that hit Kenya for a few hours on Saturday night.
Neither the airports authority nor the transport minister have commented on the complaints.
Murkomen promised to improve services at the airport, after separate complaints of passenger harassment by tax officers. - Future Kyuma and Correspondent
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