Wilson Airport has resumed daytime operations on its main runway after nearly six months of rehabilitation works, marking the return of normal flight operations for airlines that had been using an alternative runway since the beginning of the year.
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) approved the reopening of runway 07 on Wednesday, July 29, allowing commercial flights to resume using the airport's primary landing strip. The runway will operate daily between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. after remaining closed since the end of January to allow for infrastructure improvements.
Runway 07 is the main landing runway for commercial aircraft operating at Wilson Airport, with flights approaching through the BOMAS-Uhuru Gardens flight path. During the rehabilitation period, airlines relied on the alternative runway 14-32, which is accessed through the Kibera-Nyayo Highrise approach route.
KAA closed the runway to pave the way for rehabilitation works aimed at improving the airport's operational capacity and enhancing service delivery.
The reopening comes months after Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi survived a crash landing involving a Safarilink Aviation aircraft at Wilson Airport.
In a statement issued on Friday, March 20, Osotsi said he was among the passengers aboard the flight that veered off the runway during landing.
"I thank God for His protection after I came out safely from an aircraft accident at Wilson Airport this evening. I was among the 39 passengers on board the Safarilink flight, including three crew members and the pilot, when the plane crash-landed," he said.
Osotsi praised the pilot for the actions taken during the emergency, saying the quick decisions helped prevent a worse outcome.
"I commend the pilot for his remarkable skill and presence of mind in controlling the aircraft and steering it off the runway, causing it to stall - an action that averted what could have been a catastrophic fire had the plane continued on the runway," he stated.
He, however, faulted the airport's emergency response, saying there was no immediate assistance after the accident despite the seriousness of the incident.
"However, it is deeply troubling that despite the pilot’s efforts to save lives, there were no immediate rescue operations from the airport management. There was no ambulance on site, and no emergency response team came to our aid. This level of unpreparedness is unacceptable for an airport of such significance," he added.
The senator said the crash landing reinforced concerns he had already raised in the Senate regarding the airport's safety and infrastructure.
"This incident comes just days after I sought a statement in the Senate of the Republic of Kenya regarding the safety concerns and deteriorating infrastructure at Wilson Airport. Today’s events have only reinforced those concerns," he explained.
Osotsi also pointed to the condition of the runway and the airport's lighting system, questioning why the flight was cleared to land instead of being diverted.
"The runway was flooded and the lighting system is not functioning properly. It is common knowledge that due to these poor conditions, flights are often diverted to JKIA in the evening, raising serious questions as to why this particular flight was not redirected," he noted.