The mess at the Kenya’s most prominent airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) does not appear to be ending soon.
On Sunday, December 10, the JKIA suffered yet another shameful blackout. The blackout came as the Kenya Power subjected the whole country to yet another nationwide blackout.
Photos and videos of stranded passengers were shared widely online. Kenyans took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustration and anger over the shame that the JKIA has been subjecting the country to.
“I thought CS Murkomen procured new generators at JKIA? Why has our international airport plunged into darkness? CS for Energy, Davis Chirchir, and CS for Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen, must either RESIGN or be FIRED! National SHAME,” a Kenyan who identified as Bianca lamented.
“Why are nationwide blackouts getting so frequent? Why is blackout at JKIA becoming the norm? Is it that those we put in charge are incompetent or they’re just some careless humans? What’s really the matter? Becos saying Uhuru is switching us off won’t fly!” Mohamed Tache said.
“These JKIA and Kenya Power blackouts are now not accidental anymore. Its either someone smuggling goods in to the country monthly or they want to divert our attention so that they steal or add more taxes or pass a controversial bill somewhere… Stay woke!!!” commented Pauline Njoroge.
Landing at JKIA is like going back to Stone Age, Ex Foreign Affairs PS Macharia Kamau
Over the oast few months, the JKIA has been grabbing the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The airport has been suffering power outages and most recently embarrassingly leaking roofs.
On Saturday November 12, 2023, the JKIA went powerless after the country suffered a near-nationwide power blackout. The power blackout left passengers at the JKIA stranded as the Kenya Airports Authority scrambled for power black-up.
In August 2023, JKIA suffered a power blackout that led Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to fire KAA top bosses. “Arrived at Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) offices at JKIA. This situation will not happen again,” said Murkomen at the JKIA.
The blackout comes at a time when the JKIA is operating in the middle of controversies, with passengers claiming excessive harassment by the custom officials of the Kenya Revenue Authority.