The land earmarked for the construction of an airport in Nakuru is still public land and those encroaching on it should vacate immediately, Kenya Airports Authority has said.
Speaking after paying deputy governor Joseph Ruto a courtesy call in his office on Tuesday, Kenya Airports Authority acting Managing Director Mr Yatich Kangugo noted that KAA bought the land and it’s a matter of time before initial constructions begins.
Kangugo produced all the documents proving the authority’s ownership of the more than 500 acre piece of land saying that their lawyers were ready to meet any private developer purporting to be the owner of the land in question.
“This is a public facility owned by KAA which was bought for the purposes of building an airport that would serve the larger Rift Valley and also an aviation school,” he said.
He promised to liaise with the site assessment officers to ensure that things get moving by mid next year which he says will open up the region to the outside world.
Kangugo noted that with the advent of counties, it was easier and convenient to initiate joint projects as compared to the previous years where everything was controlled from the national treasury.
“The Nakuru county government has shown its commitment and willingness to work with us because even the grabbers had been given a notice to vacate. If all goes as discussed, the airport will be operational in less than three years,” he noted.