The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has put the contractor on notice after videos emerged on Friday evening showing leakages at Terminal 1c of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

In a statement on social media, KAA Acting Managing Director Henry Ogoye attributed the leakages to damaged infrastructure that had recently been set up.

“Over the last few days, the heavy rainfall in Nairobi has adversely impacted on the temporary drainage infrastructure put by the contractor on site, resulting in the current leakages being experienced at the terminal,” read part of the statement.

KAA revealed that they had already began construction works to address roof leakages.

“In response to the directive from the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, Honorable Kipchumba Murkomen, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) commenced the exercise to address roof leakages at Terminals 1B and 1C of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

“Works commenced in March 2024 for a period of three (3) months,” Ogoye added.

Following the leakages at the terminal, KAA directed the contractor to speed up construction to avoid further damage of equipment and inconvenience to passengers as witnessed on Friday evening.

“This is being mitigated as works progress and the contractor has been instructed to complete the works on schedule.”

The authority reiterated its commitment to provide the best service to JKIA customers.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience and understanding. KAA remains committed to upholding the highest standards of service,” added the statement.

This comes weeks after Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had a public spat with journalist Larry Madowo over the deplorable state of JKIA.

Murkomen accused Madowo of ’embarrassing’ his own country by sharing videos of the state of the airport particularly in the rainy season.

“I saw Larry taking videos at the airport. I was laughing because Larry had been with us in the country for the last 50 years when that airport was like that.

“Suddenly because he lives in ‘majuu’ (abroad) his eyes are open and realizes that there is no shade when you exit JKIA. It happens to all of us when we travel,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

In his response, Madowo shared screenshots of CS Murkomen’s tweets when he was still senator, complaining about the mishaps experienced at JKIA including flooding in some sections.