- The expansion includes extending the runway of the airstrip from 1.2 kilometres to 1.7 kilometres and the construction of a larger terminal.
- KAA had agreed to pay off the families living around the airstrip after they handed over about 115 title deeds.
Image: ROBERT OMOLLO
The Kenya Airports Authority has compensated about 58 families to pave the way for the expansion of Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay.
The expansion includes extending the runway of the airstrip from 1.2 kilometres to 1.7 kilometres and the construction of a larger terminal.
KAA had agreed to pay off the families living around the airstrip after they handed over about 115 title deeds.
The airstrip manager Wycliffe Kadoya said they are planning to pay the remaining families after issues about succession which are in court are concluded.
“Land succession issues have delayed the development but I’m happy they are being addressed in court. We will compensate the remaining families once the matter is concluded,” Kadoya said.
The national government through KAA had set aside at least Sh170 million to upgrade the airstrip.
Speaking on Tuesday, Kadoya said the expansion of the airstrip has been delayed since 2019 due to a disagreement between KAA and the community owning the land in the area.
The community had complained that the money which was set aside for compensation was not enough. They wanted KAA to increase it for them to hand over their land.
Kabunde Land Owners Association through their spokesman Stanley Okumu and chairman Charles Katinga said the community protested in 2019 to push KAA to increase money for compensation.
They argued they were going to face difficulties in getting land elsewhere because of the increasing population and demand for land in Homa Bay.
Demand for land is increasing as the population increases.
“We have been asking KAA to comply with the agreement we signed together to make us hand over the land. It’s important they have begun the process of implementing the agreement by compensating us accordingly,” Okumu said.
St Mary Pap Ndege Legio Maria parish and a private primary school are among the institutions which would be affected by the expansion.
Okumu said they are happy the people who own the church have been compensated to pave the way for the expansion.
The community had agreed to have KAA compensate for the properties affected.
Katinga said rebuilding the institutions is a corporate social responsibility.
This will help young learners and people to resume their normal lives.
He said they want the KAA to undertake the projects for the community.
“We are also asked for better access roads and water as a corporate social responsibility from KAA,” Katinga said.
Homa Bay government has already commended the community and KAA for reaching an agreement to have the airstrip improved.
The county government spokesperson Rachel Oguttu said upgrading the airstrip will make it fully operational.
The airstrip is said to be the gateway to counties in South Nyanza.
Oguttu said the airstrip will be used to offer air transport for cargo and people.
“The county government will open up the region for tourism and generate more revenues,” Oguttu said.