Aviation firm Skyward Express has suspended its flight operations to and from Kakamega due to the deteriorating condition of the runaway at the local airstrip.
The suspension comes hardly two years after the airline opened the new corridor offering a flight base for travellers from the larger western region.
In a notice to its clients on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, the managers of Skyward Express indicated that they would temporarily suspend the flights in the interest of safety.
“This decision is due to the deteriorating condition of the runway at the Kakamega Airstrip, which no longer meets our safety standards. The safety of our passengers and crew is paramount,” reads the notice, dated September 28.
The airliner’s customer service team was tasked to reach out to passengers with bookings on the affected flights to assist with alternative arrangements.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and are hopeful that the runway issues will be resolved swiftly. We look forward to welcoming you on board again soon.”
Travellers from western Kenya have been using the Nairobi-Kakamega flight route at a cost of Sh6,000 since the route was introduced in December 2022.
The flights depart from Wilson Airport to Kakamega at 10am and returned to the Capital City at 11:05am.
Besides Kakamega, Skyward serves the Kitale‚ Mombasa‚ Lamu‚ Eldoret‚ Diani‚ Lodwar, and Malindi routes form Wilson Airport.
The low-budget airline was put on the spot in October 2023 when Parliament opened an inquiry into its operations after an MP tabled a petition alleging that the airline's safety standards had posed danger to passengers.
Loima MP Protus Akuja asked the National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee to probe the airline.
“I, the undersigned on behalf of concerned citizens in the Republic of Kenya draw the attention of the House that in the recent past, the airline has experienced incidents that have made the commitment of the airline to the maintenance of minimum flight safety standards questionable,” Mr Akuja said in a petition.
“Such mishaps include tires refusing to open when some Skyward Express airplanes are almost landing, unknown sounds from the planes while mid-flight, and smoke emanating from the wings.”
He said that having the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) address the matter has not been fruitful. He asked the committee to ensure that mandatory and regular maintenance of aircraft is certified by the KCAA.
The Kakemega airstrip has been at the centre of a compensation row between the County Government of Kakamega and national government since President William Ruto announced its expansion plans to elevate it to airport status.
Although the national government promised to compensate the affected locals, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa and Senator Boni Khalwale have been reading different scripts, derailing the expected compensation.
While Dr Khalwale claimed to be creating awareness and sensitising the residents and landowners around the airstrip on the planned expansion, Mr Barasa claimed the lawmaker had rushed to buy land next to the airstrip to benefit from the compensation.
The senator has since denied the allegation, blaming it on politics, as he vowed to ensure locals get what is due to them.
Recently, Kakamega leaders blamed the collapse of the local airstrip on the proposed elevation of Matulo Airstrip in Bungoma County to an international airport to open up the Western region circuit.
Earlier, Dr Khalwale claimed the elevation of the Webuye airstrip was meant to ‘kill’ the existing one in Kakamega.
Dr Khalwale claimed Kakamega, which is the headquarters of the former Western Province, was being overtaken by Bungoma under the influence of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula.
