Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi asked five questions about the state of Wilson Airport in the Senate on March 12.
Eight days later, he was in an aeroplane that veered off the runway at the same airport. He was among the 39 passengers on board the aircraft that had flown from Kisumu. According to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), neither the passengers nor the crew members sustained injuries.
KAA noted in a statement that the incident happened at 8.55pm on Friday. By 10.47pm when it posted its statement online, recovery efforts were ongoing.
“We wish to confirm that all passengers and crew are safe, with no injuries reported. The aircraft remains on site, and recovery efforts are currently underway,” the authority’s corporate communications and public affairs office stated.
Safarilink said the Flight 090 operated by ALS Limited on its behalf from Kisumu to Wilson Airport had a “runway excursion incident” upon landing at 2055hrs, carrying 34 passengers and five crew members.
“Safety remains our highest priority. We have initiated a thorough investigation in collaboration with relevant aviation authorities to determine the cause of the incident. Further updates will be shared as more information becomes available,” Safarilink said.
“We appreciate the swift response of airport emergency services and thank our passengers and crew for their cooperation.”
When he posted on Facebook at 11.06pm to inform the public that he was safe, Mr Osotsi termed it a crash-landing.
“I commend the pilot for his remarkable skill and presence of mind in controlling the aircraft and steering it off the runway, causing it to stall — an action that averted what could have been a catastrophic fire had the plane continued on the runway,” he wrote.
Revisiting his earlier misgivings about the airport, he then relayed the blunders he saw as the incident unravelled.
An aerial view of a section of Wilson Airport in Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“It is deeply troubling that despite the pilot’s efforts to save lives, there were no immediate rescue operations from the airport management. There was no ambulance on site and no emergency response team came to our aid. This level of unpreparedness is unacceptable for an airport of such significance,” stated the ODM lawmaker.
“This incident comes just days after I sought a statement in the Senate of the Republic of Kenya regarding the safety concerns and deteriorating infrastructure at Wilson Airport. Today’s events have only reinforced those concerns. The runway was flooded and the lighting system is not functioning properly. It is common knowledge that due to these poor conditions, flights are often diverted to JKIA [Jomo Kenyatta International Airport] in the evening, raising serious questions as to why this particular flight was not redirected,” Mr Osotsi noted.
Speaking in the Senate on March 12, Mr Osotsi asked the Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing to issue a statement touching on various aspects of the airport.
The first among them was the state of infrastructure and safety systems at the airport “including the runway, drainage, rescue and firefighting facilities, air control systems and power backup installation”.
He also wanted information on the steps being taken by the Transport ministry, KAA and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to “address the deterioration of the infrastructure at the airport and ensure continued compliance with international safety standards”.
He also asked for the findings of investigations into recent aviation accidents around Wilson and the mitigation measures.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Mr Osotsi also asked to be furnished with the timelines for demolishing “buildings and other development rising above the prescribed height restriction along the flight path around Wilson Airport”.
Equally, he asked for information about plans by the government to upgrade, expand or modernise Wilson Airport to enhance its operational capacity and safety.
Majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot noted that the issue of Wilson Airport “concerns all Kenyans who use it frequently”.
“Any user of that airport must be concerned for their safety and we cannot continue the way things are,” he said.
“The complications at Wilson Airport require special attention. I hope the Cabinet Secretary in charge will address this matter when he appears before the House next week,” added the Kericho senator, who flagged the airport’s lax security arrangements as another issue of concern.
“That repair has caused a lot of problems and this time, I think as a committee, what we need to do is ask the management of that particular institution to come before the committee and explain to this country what is happening,” he said.
The airport repairs, Mr Cheruiyot noted, are progressing “extremely slowly”.
“At that rate, it may take years before the runway is completed. Meanwhile, planes landing on Runway 025 or Runway 14 must overfly Lang’ata Road, which is hazardous, including to young children at Lang’ata Primary School who spend their afternoons with planes flying directly above their playing compound,” said Mr Cheruiyot.
Wilson is the only other airport in Nairobi besides JKIA, and it is a key hub for local and regional flights. It has been in existence since 1929.
Mombasa Senator Faki Mwihaji said during the March 12 session that the airport is facing encroachment.
“We visited Phenom Estate…[and] residents raised concerns about encroachment by a developer who was constructing a playing field near the estate. He also encroached on the perimeter fence of Wilson Airport. In the event of an emergency, evacuating passengers and other people would be a problem because the road meant to serve as an exit from the airport has been closed,” said the lawmaker.
Wajir Senator Mohamed Abass noted: “Wilson Airport is a strategic airport and one of the oldest for local travel. However, it has been encroached from all sides and is a disaster in waiting, unless something is done. The runways are old and need repair. What worries me most is the number of buildings encroaching on Wilson Airport. This must be controlled.”
