Nairobi Governor Dr. Evans Kidero has written to the Jubilee government to stop the construction of a new terminal at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Just a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the multi-billion new terminal project at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero wants it stopped, saying the construction plans had not been approved.
The new Greenfield Terminal is expected to cost Sh56 billion. Kidero also threatened to stop construction of the nearly completed Terminal Four as the plans had not received approval from City Hall as demanded by the County laws and the Physical Planning Act 286.
In a terse letter to Infrastructure and Transport Secretary Michael Kamau and the Kenya Airports Authority acting chief executive Lucy Mbugua, Kidero asked KAA to stop the project until they received approval for all the relevant plans including those for safety and health.
“The Nairobi City County has established that your organization (KAA) has not sought for approval of various developments going on within the airports vicinity pursuant to the requirements of the Physical Planning Act Cap286 and other related statutes.
“Developments within the jurisdiction of Nairobi City County by all investors have to seek prior development permission before they are commenced.
Accordingly, this is to advise you to request your consultants to immediately submit the Master Layout Plan, architectural and structural plans of the airport facility on Terminal 4 and the proposed Greenfield Terminal expansion of the airport retrospect determination and approval,†says the letter signed by County Secretary Lillian Ndegwa.
The only government agency whose building plans have been exempted by City Hall, according to Kidero, is the Kenya Defence Forces on security qualifications.
Governor Kidero, who was present at the commissioning of the project by President Uhuru and Deputy President William alongside CORD leader Raila Odinga, joins the list of politicians who attend infrastructural projects then later raise objections.
Deputy President William Ruto, before Gov Kidero, was the highest ranking government official to attend the ground breaking ceremony of a project then later pour cold water on it.
Ruto, in terse letter too, told the presidency to sort out procurement issues around the construction of the standard gauge railway line.
“By this letter, we kindly request your office to expeditiously review the project documents and to render the requisite legal opinion regarding the same on or before 5th November 2013,† Ruto had written to Uhuru, adding, “It is imperative that His Excellence the President should not be seen as giving the project his seal of approval unless all the required procedural and legal steps have been undertaken, and the project is one which is completely above board.â€
On completion in 2017, Greenfield Terminal will comprise 50 international check-in counters, eight air bridges for aircraft to dock, 45 aircraft parking stands on the linked apron space and an additional runway.
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