Standard: Kenya has increased air passenger capacity, following the ongoing expansion of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Deputy President William Ruto said the flagship expansion at JKIA has led to a threefold growth, from 2.5 million to 7.5 million passengers annually. However, Ruto said in spite of the infrastructural development, Africa and Kenya in particular, is yet to tap into the full potential of the aviation industry.

“The African aviation industry still lags behind the rest of the world. Nonetheless, demand for air transport has grown steadily over the last few years, with passenger numbers and freight traffic growing particularly quickly,” he said. “Africa is the third-fastest growing region in the world in terms of aviation traffic.”

Ruto said the Government is expanding and modernising other facilities at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa, Kisumu International Airport, Malindi, and Lamu, among several other airports and airstrips across the country to make the country a regional and global aviation hub.

The move is aimed at increasing accessibility to air transport services and facilitating growth. “The aviation industry accounts for 10 per cent of our gross domestic product. In Africa, the industry supported more than seven million jobs in 2013. Indeed tourism, international trade and commerce cannot survive, let alone thrive, without the aviation sector.”

The deputy president directed the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to develop a policy framework that supports the collaboration between the national government, county governments and the private sector in addressing expansion of the air transport.

He was speaking yesterday at the Kenya Airways Pride Centre in Embakasi, Nairobi, where he officiated at the opening of a one-day workshop on growth and development of the aviation industry.