The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has once again flown into the eye of the storm after lainching a roundabout at the airport that has been branded by mobile phones manufacturer Tecno.

The roundabout dubbed JKIS Ndovu Roundabout was lanuched by the KAA Board Chairman Caleb Kositany. The beautification of the roundabout was done by AD Site and features a stationary Boeing 737-200 drapped in Tecno mobile colours and phones advertisements.

This has been widely criticized by Kenyans who have expressed that the management at the airport is either clueless on how to run the airport or is out of touch on what is critically required to turn the fortunes of the airport around.

“They revamped the roundabout instead of the airport? Hawa watu walirogwa?” commented CNN Kenyan journalist Larry Madowo.

A related criticism has been expresses by respected Kenyan hotelier and aviation enthusiast Mohammed Hersi. According to Hersi, Tecno should not be the first impression visitors have of Kenya. Instead, there are other areas at the airport where the mobile phones manufacturer can be better placed.

“The JKIA is our hub and home to our national carrier Kenya Airways which is facing stiff competition from Ethiopian Airlines and RwandaAir. “How then has an ad company convinced KAA to sell the roundabout for advertisement?” paused Hersi. He went on:

“It’s not a bad idea as KAA is trying to raise extra income, but, is a mobile phone company the right brand and even worse a prototype plane christined Tecno? Some questions come to mind:

1). Is Tecno a Kenyan brand?

2). Is Tecno a global brand where buyers would queue overnight at their branded stores when a new phone is being launched?

3). Is Tecno the face of Kenya and why a plane with phone branding) Surely, is that the best thought from Tecno?

Arrivals at JKIA would already have a phone; would they be interrupting their planned trip to lay their hands on a Tecno phone? (I am told they have excellent camera though!)

What about the quality of the sculptures; the elephants and especially the young ones? Any artist worth his salt would cringe at what is being depicted.

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Everyone has seen the elephant sculptures in Mombasa and Malindi; they look real. What was so hard in linking up with the Akamba Centre in Mombasa for quality products?

While I support creativity and new ways of doing things, I am afraid this move by JKIA is one of those where the intentions are good but the plan is not ideal.

JKIA roundabout is the first impression you get as you exit the airport to enter Kenya; is a Tecno branded aircraft the best representation of Kenya? I am afraid I don’t think so.

My recommendations would be:

1). Tecno should have sponsored the beautification – say with the big five or one huge herd of Elephants or a pride of lions – and in return placed a subtle signage to show that they are the sponsors.

2). What about supplying brand new luggage trolleys in Tecno branding inside the terminals? It could fetch KAA even more money yet it will be subtle advertising.

3). What about Tecno supplying and branding Golf cars for elderly passengers who are not able to walk between terminals?

4). What about Tecno setting up a huge arrival and departure update board on that same roundabout so that anyone driving in would slow down to take note?

5). What about Tecno branding the buses that ply the airside picking arrivals and dropping departing clients?

6). Tecno could also brand the air bridges

There are many ways to make extra revenue without necessarily screaming at the main roundabout as you enter or exit Eastern Africa’s major hub.