CS Murkomen Was Right To Blame Uhuru- Gachagua On Leaking JKIA Roofs
Gachagua also expressed that those criticising Murkomen, who included Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, had failed to see the truth of the matter.
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Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday, November 15 defended Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen's criticism towards former President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration over the leaking roofs at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.
While inaugurating the 30th Engineers of Kenya Convention in Mombasa, Gachagua agreed with Murkomen's assertion that the contractors assigned to JKIA had rushed to implement the temporary renovations without meeting the required standards.
Gachagua also expressed that those criticising Murkomen, who included Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, had failed to see the truth of the matter.
Collage of leaking roofs at JKIA and Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen speaking on November 14, 2023, at Funzi Island in Kwale County. /X.KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN
"I have seen some people castigating him (Murkomen) on what he said about what happened at JKIA, but that is the truth," Gachagua stated.
“People in this country are allergic to the truth. And quite a number have a problem with me, but there is nothing they can do because the truth is the truth."
At the same time, the second-in-command complained regarding an increase in unqualified individuals posing as engineers in the country and assigned to critical projects, noting that the works done at JKIA only bring shame to one of the biggest airports in the region.
”JKIA was done at a massive cost but today, it is a shame to the profession of engineers and architects. Public resources were expended, and when you go there, you feel sorry, yet engineers and architects certified, and based on that certification, payments were made,” he said.
Speaking in Diani, Kwale County while inspecting the expansion of Diani Airport, Murkomen claimed the administration had turned a blind eye to poor workmanship by the contractors and engineers who were doing renovations at Terminal 1C and 1E during Uhuru's regime.
Murkomen however promised that the renovations would be done in line with the required standards, a matter that he tasked the contractors working on the country's biggest airport.
“When we got into the office we found that the projects in the previous regime were substandard.
"When the renovation was done on Terminal 1C and E, it was in a hurry and temporary because there needed to be set up an in-field project which was costly. But we have spoken to the contractors to redo the job” he revealed.
Other than leaking roofs, JKIA has also faced enormous criticism over the frequent power blackouts at the airport, mainly when the country has been experiencing nationwide blackouts.
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) sided with Murkomen and lamented the inadequacies in terms of facility and infrastructure upgrades over the years, though it assured that active steps were being undertaken to avoid similar embarrassment among passengers transiting through the airport.
"Over the last 10 years, JKIA has suffered inadequate facility and infrastructure capacity upgrades to the extent that even temporary interventions became permanent solutions hence the current state of affairs in service disruptions.
"To this end, the Government has commenced the process of addressing infrastructure development of the facility covering the expansion of the passenger terminal, runway capacity, and provision of additional aircraft parking bays beginning this financial year 2023/2024," stated Acting KAA CEO Henry Ogoye.
Entrance to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. /MARVIN CHEGE.VIRALTEAKE
