JKIA crowned Africa's leading Airport

Nairobi, 

Saturday, 19 October, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport(JKIA) has been crowned the Leading Airport in Africa year 2024, at the prestigious World Travel Awards. 

JKIA triumphed over notable nominees in this category, including, Cape Town International Airport in South Africa. 

Others are Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport in Morocco, Tanzania's Julius Nyerere International Airport, Rwanda's Kigali International Airport, King Shaka International Airport in Durban, South Africa and O.R. Tambo International Airport in South Africa. 

The award was received by Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director Mr. Henry Ogoye, JKIA Airport Manager, Ms. Selina Gor, and General Manager, Marketing and Business Development, Mr. Abraham Kiprutto, alongside a dedicated KAA team representing JKIA, Diani Airport. 

The award was receiving during a colourful awards ceremony held at Diamonds Leisure Beach & Golf Resort in Diani Beach on Friday night.

This win reflects JKIA’s unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service, enhancing operational efficiency, and continuously improving the passenger experience. 

"We’re proud of our team’s hard work and dedication that made this achievement possible, and we thank all our passengers and partners for their continued support." JKIA said. 

The Airport was previously ranked the largest cargo Airport in Africa in 2023 and rhe fourth busiest Airport in Africa in 2019. 

This comes as the government is currently on an ongoing negotiation process with Indian-Based Adani Group holdings over a $1.85 Billion (Ksh.238 Billion) lease agreement for a period of 30 years.

Under the lease, Andani through it's subsidiary group AAHL, seeks to upgrade the airport infrastructure into a modern and state-of-the-art facility that will transform into a world class Airport by conducting maintenance, upgrading terminals and constructing new runway. 

Adani would in return receive 18 percent returns in the agreement and will return the Airport back to KAA after the agreement has expired. 

The move has however been met by widespread controversy and contention from Airport group stakeholders, JKIA staff, Politicians and Kenyans who have raised alarm on the credibility and transparency of the deal owing to the fact that it only came to public limelight through a whistle blower who also revealed that KAA was at the final stages of agreeing to the lease. 

Adani has also been caught up in massive scandals in it's home country India over allegations of corruption and Shady deals while it has previously faced similar cases in other countries like Bangladesh. 

The lease has since been suspended by a court order filed by Human rights groups. 

The government has become defensive of fhe deal argueing that it has followed the due process and it will come in handy in helping the government maintain and upgrade the facility, an expensive process that it cannot afford to execute with available funds.