NAIROBI: In Kenya, governors in the North Rift have asked the government to provide Sh4 billion to expand the Eldoret International Airport. The money will be used to improve the airport runway and other facilities to accommodate bigger cargo planes, as the North Rift Economic Bloc aims for more than five weekly cargo flights to export fresh produce to Europe and the Middle East.
The bloc’s eight member counties have signed an agreement to improve the production of fresh produce. Uasin Gishu Governor and bloc chairman Jackson Mandago yesterday said the airport operates at only one per cent of its cargo-handling capacity.
He added that bloc members will work together to improve production of fruit and vegetables. “We want to use the airport to improve trade. That is why we will jointly market the facility,” Mandago said.
Currently, the airport has two weekly cargo flights. The counties plan to help launch additional cargo flights to earn more than Sh800 million annually. In 2013-14, the airport handled 5,755 flights.
