Malindi Residents Demand Airport Expansion After Aircraft Crash

Leaders and residents of Malindi on Monday, January 13, issued fresh demands to the government following a fatal aircraft accident that claimed the lives of three people.

The leaders and residents called for the expansion of Malindi International Airport to reduce incidents of aircraft accidents such as the one on January 9, where a light aircraft crash-landed on a boda boda rider.

“If the airport had been big enough and had it met the required standards, perhaps such an accident could not have occurred,” noted one leader.

“As the residents and leaders of Malindi, we want to demand that the government expand the airport to curb such accidents. May the accident that happened be the last one. Last time it was a light aircraft, but in the future, we do not know what might happen,” another leader stated.

The people of Malindi also demanded the immediate compensation of the affected families. In addition, they called for the relocation of individuals who would be displaced by the expansion of the airport.

A privately owned Cessna 172 aircraft, registration 5Y-CDC, crashed on Friday near Kwa-Chocha, adjacent to Royal Plaza in Malindi. The cause of the crash was reported to be a technical malfunction in the plane’s system.

The immediate impact of the crash left the plane engulfed in flames, though the cabin crew were unscathed. However, the crash resulted in three fatalities: a boda boda rider and his two passengers.

The plane is reported to have landed near a new hotel that was yet to open, close to where several motorcycles were parked. Videos shared with Kenyans.co.ke showed parts of nearby buildings along the highway had also caught fire.

First responders, including firefighters and ambulances, were at the scene. Photos shared with this publication showed hundreds of residents gathered to witness the incident.

The expansion of Malindi International Airport has long been a contentious issue, with projects aimed at upgrading it encountering numerous obstacles.

In 2022, the government allocated Ksh5 billion for the airport’s expansion, with the aim of boosting Malindi, a region that significantly contributes to the country’s tourism sector.

However, the project, which had stalled for an astonishing 18 years, failed to take off due to deep-rooted disputes over compensation between landowners and the government.

It remains to be seen what will happen regarding the airport’s expansion, but area residents and leaders have urged the government to improve its efforts.