Wilson Airport set for Sh163m traffic control tower upgrade

A 50-year-old air traffic control tower at the Wilson Airport in Nairobi will be replaced by a new Sh163 million facility to boost aircraft handling and safety.

Air Navigation director Reuben Lubanga says increased traffic and advancement of technology have called for the construction of a new tower to meet international standards.

He said the current facility does not conform to the world’s best practices given its obsolete technology, raising the risk of air accidents at the post that handles 300 planes daily compared to 100 in the 1990s.

“The tower we are using at the moment is old, small and does not conform to the new technology that is in use world over,” said Mr Lubanga.

He noted that the move to put up a new tower is also driven by the safety reasons given the emergence of taller buildings in the surrounding area that might be a risk to the safety of the airport.

The grabbing of airport land has led to a proliferation of real estate developments near Wilson Airport’s flight path, posing a security risk.

Kenya Airports Authority says hundreds of acres of Wilson Airport land have been grabbed and allocated to third parties.

Mr Lubanga said the building that houses the tower had been condemned by officials from the housing department making it hard to be renovated. 

He said the tower as it stands now is meant for three traffic controllers but it has been holding up to six people, creating congestion.

“The new tower will have more control cabins to accommodate the required number of officers that are required,” he said.

Transport Cabinet secretary James Macharia is expected to lead the expansion process with the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a modern tower at the Africa’s busiest airport Friday morning.

Though not classified as an international hub, Wilson Airport serves flights to and from other countries such as Sudan and Somalia.