A total of Sh1.2 billion that was earmarked for the renovation of eight local airstrips in the current financial year is set to be returned to the Exchequer after the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) failed to absorb the funds.
The eight facilities that were set to benefit from the facelift include Malindi Airport, Lokichogio Airport and Isiolo, Kabunde, Kakamega, Kitale, Migori and Bomet airstrips.
SIX DAYS
But with only six days to the end of the 2018/2019 financial year, the authority cannot use the entire money hence it is set to be returned to the National Treasury as the 2019/2020 financial year starts on Monday next week.
The National Assembly Transport committee accused the KAA management of becoming notorious in the failure to implement projects under their docket.
The committee chairman David Pkosing (Pokot South) regretted that despite the committee having intensely lobbied for the money to be allocated to the authority, it was not used for the intended purpose.
“We are very concerned as a committee with your speed of implementation of projects. KAA has a very poor method of implementing projects and it’s worrying. We want to know what is going on with those airstrips. We have only one week to close the current financial year,” Mr Pkosing said.
SH457 MILLION
“We don’t know what KAA’s problem is; they have good staff. There is some loose wire at the authority that needs to be adjusted,” Mr Pkosing told KAA management when they appeared before the committee.
Some Sh457 million was allocated for the expansion of Malindi Airport, Isiolo Airport got Sh300 million while Lokichogio Airport received Sh150 million for the rehabilitation of the runway.
Kabunde Airstrip got Sh100 million, Kakamega airstrip (Sh150 million), Kitale airstrip (Sh100 million), Migori airstrip (Sh100 million) while Bomet airstrip was allocated Sh63 million.
KAA Managing Director Jonny Andersen, while regretting that Sh1.2 billion will have to be returned to the Treasury, told MPs that not all the monies meant for the renovations of airports was disbursed to the authority.
Mr Andersen said the funds they received were used to start some works in the various airports.
For example, out of the Sh457 million that was allocated for the expansion of Malindi Airport, only Sh338.45 million was disbursed to KAA.