Build new terminal to boost safety at JKIA

By Griffins Omwenga, November 25, 2013

Kenya Airports Authority acting managing director Alice Mbugua had in September said that the agency had received a grant of Sh5.25 billion from the World Bank and Sh2.45 billion from the African Development Bank to rebuild the damaged terminal.

In Summary

• The international arrivals building, known as Unit One, which was damaged in a fire three months ago, is unfit for use and should be demolished, according to the experts.
• KAA has given its report to Mr Michael Kamau, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport with recommendations that the terminal be demolished because its structure was weakened by the August fire.

Engineers have recommended that a section of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport be pulled down and a new terminal built in its place.

The international arrivals building, known as Unit One, which was damaged in a fire three months ago, is unfit for use and should be demolished, according to the experts.

International agencies — including the US-based Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Israel’s Mossad — conducted investigations on the cause of the fire.

Other investigations were done by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the National Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Transport and the Kenya Airports Authority.
The results of those investigations are yet to be made public.

However, what at first appeared to be a small fire developed into an inferno that destroyed large parts of an international airport.

Its cause, and the cause of events leading to the gutting of the terminals One and significant damage to terminal Two, remains a mystery.

Kenya Airports Authority acting managing director Alice Mbugua had in September said that the agency had received a grant of Sh5.25 billion from the World Bank and Sh2.45 billion from the African Development Bank to rebuild the damaged terminal.

“Engineers have told us that the burnt building should come down. We will have a new building in the same place,” she said at the time.

The authority will need the permission of the ministry of Transport and Parliament to build a new terminal.

KAA has given its report to Mr Michael Kamau, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport with recommendations that the terminal be demolished because its structure was weakened by the August fire.

However, the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Public Works and Housing is yet to receive the report.

“We are only aware that it was presented to Engineer Kamau but we are likely to summon the airport officials for a copy,” said Starehe MP Maina Kamanda, who chairs the committee.

Parliament approves all expenditures by government institutions.

Assess the damage

Kenya’s airports are insured by APA Insurance.

The firm contracted McLarens Young International loss adjusters and assessors to assess the damage at the airport last September.

Earlier, APA had noted that the fire was the biggest that any insurance firm has had to deal with in Kenya.

“Unfortunately the quantum of the loss and overall sum insured are privileged information and we are not at liberty to disclose it,” said Mr Ashok Shah, the APA Insurance CEO in an interview with the Nation Monday.

“Let us say it will be the biggest fire loss in Kenya’s insurance history.”

He said the insurer will release its report on the fire next week.

Meanwhile, the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the multi-billion shilling Greenfield terminal at the airport is expected next month.

Last month, Mr Kamau said discussions were at an advanced stage for a loan to cover 85 per cent of the construction cost while the remaining 15 per cent will be funded by the Kenya Airports Authority.

The terminal will be approximately 178,000 square metres and the construction is expected to cost Sh55.6 billion.

“I can assure you that we have three serious commitments and we are evaluating them now to decide which bank to partner with,” he said.

The government has issued tenders for four projects, including construction of a bussing gate, Unit 3 Level 1 lounge, Unit 3 temporary arrival terminal and another temporary terminal.