CAA unveils master plan to create four new international airports

Minister of Works and Transport Abraham Byandala launches the Civil Aviation Authority 2034 Master Plan report in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA

What you need to know:

The projects are expected to cost about Shs7.3 trillion.

Kampala- Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has unveiled a 20-year plan that will create four more international airports, three regional and six local airports in addition to expanding the Entebbe International Airport. Currently, Uganda has only one international airport.

According to the National Civil Aviation Master Plan (CAMP), the proposed international airports include; Arua, Pakuba, Hoima and Kasese while Soroti, Kotido and Gulu will be transformed into regional airports.

Others such as Jinja, Tororo, Moroto, Lira, Mbarara and Kisoro will be turned into local airports. All this is projected to cost about $255 million (about Shs7.3 trillion) in the next 20 years.

The master plan, if well executed, is expected to improve the tourism industry and the economy at large, translating into revenue worth $3 billion (about Shs8.6 trillion) by 2033.

Dr Rama Makuza, the CAA managing director, said the plan “resonates with the country’s growth aspirations.”

The developments are important to Uganda since it is a landlocked country whose passenger and cargo traffic is growing.

According to statistics, annual passenger traffic is projected to grow from 1.4 million passengers handled in 2013 to more than 7.5 million by 2033.

Total aircraft movements and cargo are projected to follow a similar trend from 43,000 to 124,000 movements and 56,000 to 172,000 tonnes, respectively.

The Works and Transport minister, Mr Abraham Byandala, in a written statement, said: “The aspirations of our people as expressed in Vision 2040 can only be realised if we translate them into implementable projects.”

CAA last renovated Entebbe airport in preparation for the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) making improvements on Very Very Important Persons (VVIP) lounge and the domestic passenger terminal among others.

EXPANSION OF ENTEBBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

According to the Entebbe International Airport Master Plan, the first phase of renovations involving terminal expansion, cargo area, multi-storey car park, fuel farm among others will cost $201.6 million (about Shs567.9 billion.

The authority will also need $67.4 million (about Shs192.9 billion) in the year 2019 to 2023 to do the same while $160.5 million (about Shs459.4 billion) will be required for the same purpose between 2024 to 2033.

However, some of the proposed developments on Entebbe airport such as the construction of a new cargo centre, new fuel farm, United Nations base (Munsco) terminal relocation, other runways and taxiways, will require more land meaning Namiiro swamp will be encroached on.