Nakuru County may not realise its dream of having an airport until a proper site for the construction of the multi-million facility is found.
County public works and transport executive Joel Kairu says the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Kenya Civil Airports Authority engineers are surveying the Naivasha site.
“Engineers are still surveying the Naivasha site and once the process is complete, we will be able to know if it is suitable. They (engineers) are yet to give a report,” said Maina.
Although the county government of Nakuru has in the past proposed to the authority two sites; one in Njoro and another in Naivasha, the former was rejected due to the poor terrain.
Finding a suitable site remains a tricky and critical assignment for the KAA after earlier prospects by the Kenya Civil Airports Authority of establishing the airstrip at a 600-acre piece of land at Pipeline area were stopped. The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) failed to approve the project on grounds that the airport land lay along the flamingos’ migratory route between Lakes Elementaita and Nakuru.
KAA corporate communications manager Angela Tilitei last month said the number of travellers expected to use the airstrip, the direction of wind and the type of aircraft that will be using it are among factors that will determine the approval of the site.
If it happens, the construction of the domestic airstrip, which is projected to serve about one million travellers annually, is estimated to cost Sh60 million. This is dependent on the length of the runway and the quality of materials to be used.
The airstrip’s economic viability will also be a factor of selecting the site of the much hyped project.
Horticultural farmers would be the biggest beneficiaries of the airstrip as it would make transporting their produce easier. Tourism would also receive a boost as the region becomes more accessible.