Works Minister Azuba distances self from plan
A source at Civil Aviation Authority has intimated to Eagle Online that there is a move by a section of politicians from Jinja to parcel out Kimaka Airstrip land to investors.
The move, the source said is being orchestrated by Mr. Moses Balyeku, the Jinja West MP who apparently has been pestering the Authority’s leadership for a while.
Attempts to get a detailed response from the legislator were futile as he didn’t response to multiple telephone calls. When we texted him, his response a terse, “not true” comment.
On seemingly hitting a dead end at the Aviation Authority, our source says, the legislator got a buy in of the works minister Engineer Monica Azuba Ntege, who is the political head of the Authority and is apparently pushing through the plan.
However, Minister Azuba said she was hearing about the matter of investors for the first time. Although she hinted on some other land already being availed for the airstrip , she said she was instead investigating the veracity of the arguments from within the Authority that the airstrip that the coming Standard Gauge Railway project is going to eat into the airstrip’s land and therefore it is prudent to have it moved to a different place.
“I found in motion a situation where they wanted to move the airport to a different station on information that SGR was going to take part of the airstrip. So I started finding out if it’s true and whether where they want to take airstrip actually exists.
“I wanted to find out if it (SGR) affected the airstrip or the remaining land as it is it is enough to serve the operations of the airport; then it’s another story. The issue of investors I am hearing it for the first time and from you. I have no idea that the reason is to be given to investors,” she said.
We couldn’t get hold of the SGR project spokesperson Diana Apio as her phone went unanswered but the Managing Director of Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. David Kakuba said.“The best which I can assure you is that the district asked for information about that and we told them that the SGR will not pass through the airstrip’s land. The SGR is going to pass that side of Nile Resort. We assured them that if that is the case (SGR taking part of the airstrip land) forget about the SGR we are still in charge of our property”.
Adding “This is a national property if the sell is to happen procedure has to be followed,”.
President Yoweri Museveni some time back while touring Busoga region promised to rehabilitate the airstrip in a bid to promote tourism in the region. Busoga region is home to the Source of River Nile and other major tourist attractions.
Kimaka is one of twelve upcountry airports that are administered by the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority.
In 2005, government has earmarked Shs350 million for the first phase of the rehabilitation of Kimaka Airstrip in Jinja municipality, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) managing director has said.
There were plans to build the runway, renovate staff quarters, the terminal building and fire house.
CCA had plans to turn the airstrip into a bigger commercial facility to boost trade, Jinja being a few kilometers away from the Uganda-Kenya Border.
Eagle Online couldn’t get comments from both Mayor Majid Batambuze and Town Clerk Francis Byabagambi as they never answered their mobile phones.
