The contractor, a joint venture of Israeli-British firms, Shikun and Binui International-SBI/Colas Limited, had initially planned to hand over the airport to the government last month.
The handover of the Kabalega International Airport in Hoima district has again been pushed
to September 2025.
The contractor, a joint venture of Israeli-British firms,
Shikun and Binui International-SBI/Colas Limited, had initially planned to hand
over the airport to the government last month.
However, Buchbut Sharly the managing director for
SBI International which is currently undertaking the construction works noted that
they are seeking more months to allow for the completion of crucial works, such as
the construction of the control tower, installation of electricity,
Installation of CCTV Cameras, fibre optic cables and other operations at the
airport.
Initially, the airport was designed to have a mobile
control tower, however, the design was changed, and the airport will have a
fixed control tower.
According to SBC, the change in the design of the control
tower impacted a lot on the progress of the construction of the airport hence
causing delays.
The contractor is currently seeking for additional 76 billion Shillings to have the remaining work fully completed.
Fred Byamukama, Minister of State for Works and Transport
said that currently the government has so far spent 1.08
trillion shillings out of the 1.188 trillion budgeted for the airport construction works.
Byamukama said that the airport is expected to be
commissioned in September next year since most of the major facilities have
already been installed.
Runyoro byte.
//Cue in: “Tukya mara myaka…
Cue out:…kampala kwija kunu.”//
Byamukama further stated that the airport once finished will
boost the oil and gas industry as well as agriculture and tourism industries in the Albertine region and the country at large.
He has appealed to the people of Bunyoro to prepare and tap
into opportunities that will accrue from the construction of the airport.
//Cue in: “Abantu ba Bunyoro…
Cue out:…kora mu Kisahe.”//
Kabalega International Airport, financed by Standard
Chartered Bank with a budget of USD 309 million, will have the capacity to
accommodate four cargo planes simultaneously.
The Airport is one of the key support infrastructures for
the next course of the fast-paced activities leading to commercial oil
production.
The airport will feature a fire station, apron, control
tower, accommodation facilities, parallel runways, taxiway, air rescue
firefighting house, power substation house, communications and navigation
systems, perimeter fence, and air-ground illumination system, among other
facilities.
The runway, measuring 3.5 kilometres in length and 45 meters in
width, is 99 percent complete.
The cargo terminal building, limited-capacity passenger
terminal building, air rescue firefighting house, power substation house, and
air-ground lighting system are all complete.
Currently work at the airport
stands at 95 percent.
In February 2023, the contractor halted the construction
works at the airport following the government’s failure to allocate more than
126 billion Shillings to complete the remaining works.
The contractor then said that the funds were needed to
complete the control tower and other operations at the airport.
During a field visit at the airport then, Byamukama said that the government was investigating the
contractor for allegedly exaggerating prices for some construction materials
meant for the construction of the airport.
He said the contractor is suspected to be conniving with
some top government officials to swindle money meant for the construction of
the airport.
He added that the contractor under unclear circumstances
demanded an extra 126 billion Shillings from the government to complete works
at the airport yet the government had cleared two hundred sixty-four million
Euros needed by the contractor for the entire project.
Byamukama said that the government was negotiating with the
contractor but would consider terminating the contract if negotiations did not
yield.
However, in April 2023, the contractor resumed construction
work after they reached a consensus with the government.
