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Construction of Kidepo International Airport has officially commenced following a groundbreaking ceremony in Karenga district, a development expected to boost tourism and accelerate economic growth in the Karamoja sub-region.
President Yoweri Museveni presided over the ceremony and hailed the project as a testament to the transformation of Karamoja from a region once plagued by insecurity, cattle rustling and lawlessness.
“Karamoja has come a long way from the days of insecurity, cattle rustling and lawlessness,” Museveni said, noting that the restoration of peace had created the conditions necessary for development.
“The airport will improve access to Kidepo Valley national park, boost tourism, attract investors, create jobs for our young people and expand markets for local products,” he added.
Museveni said more than 1,600 Ugandans are already employed on the project.
“I thank our partners from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates for recognizing the immense opportunities that exist in Uganda and Africa,” he said.
The project stems from a memorandum of understanding signed between the government of Uganda and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, led by its chairman Abdallah Sultan Al Owais. The airport will be developed near Kidepo Valley national park.
Located at Lomej, about three kilometres south of the park headquarters, the facility is expected to significantly improve access to one of Uganda’s premier tourism destinations, renowned for its rich wildlife, including lions, giraffes, buffaloes and several other species.
Speaking at the ceremony on Friday, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) deputy director general Olive Birungi Lumonya said all regulatory and technical requirements for the project had been completed.
Lumonya said the Authority worked closely with the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Karenga district local government and other stakeholders to identify a suitable site.
“Technical studies confirmed this site provides the optimal balance between operational efficiency, aviation safety, environmental sustainability and future expansion,” Lumonya said.
The airport is planned as a Code 4E international facility, with provision for future expansion to Code 4F standards. It will be capable of handling wide-body aircraft, including the Boeing 777-200ER, Boeing 747, Airbus A330 and Airbus A340.
Plans indicate the airport will have a 3,000-metre runway measuring 60 metres wide, complete with shoulders on both sides, enabling both regional and international operations.
Authorities said feasibility studies, environmental assessments and engineering designs for the project have already been completed.
Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Abdallah Mohamad Sultan Al Owais said construction activities are already underway, including the development of 12.3 kilometres of access roads to support logistics at the site.
“We spent about three years on feasibility and environmental studies,” he said, noting the importance of balancing infrastructure development with wildlife conservation around the national park.
The minister for Karamoja Affairs-designate, John Baptist Lokii, described the airport as a major milestone for the region and attributed the growing investor interest in Karamoja to improved security.
He noted that despite its global appeal, Kidepo Valley National Park has historically recorded relatively low tourist numbers and said the airport would unlock the area’s tourism potential.
“Conservation and tourism contribute significantly to GDP, and this airport will greatly increase those returns,” Lokii said.
He also revealed plans to upgrade Nadunget Airstrip in Moroto district into a fully-fledged airport as part of a broader regional aviation development strategy.
Meanwhile, Karenga District Woman MP and State Minister for Ethics Rose Lily Akello raised concerns about the region’s poor road infrastructure and urged government to expedite the tarmacking of the Karenga-Kitgum road to facilitate construction works and improve connectivity.
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, https://observer.ug/news/construction-of-kidepo-international-airport-begins/
