JKIA To Lose Its Prestigious Status In Africa As Qatar Airways Takes 60% Stakes In The USD1.3B Rwanda International Airport

The Rwanda Government and Qatar Airways has signed an investment partnership for Rwanda’s new international airport. The partnership features three agreements to build, own, and operate the state-of-the-art facility.

Qatar has agreed to take a 60% stake in the project, which as a whole is valued at around US$1.3 billion. The new airport is being redesigned to accommodate 7 million passengers per year, with a 2nd phase for 14 million passengers a year expected to start by 2032.

The agreements signed mark a key milestone in the development of Rwanda’s vibrant aviation sector, in the context of the excellent bilateral relationship between Qatar and Rwanda.

Below is an opinion by Dan Okwiri, an Aviation expert in the rise of the new development.

The next aviation hub in the region will be Kigali after Addis without a shadow of a doubt. They are pulling the rug under JKIA feet as we watch helplessly. JKIA airport expansion was a cropper because of corruption & permanently shelved. The Qataris are injecting usd billions of Petro dollars into Rwanda cause of the excellent business environment & visionary leadership of Paul Kagame.

Qatar Airways has officially acquired a 60% stake in Rwanda’s new International Airport project. The deal was has been signed. Qatar Airways will build, own 60%, and operate the new Bugesera International Airport near Kigali. The new $1.3 billion airport is being redesigned to handle 7 million passengers a year at the start of operations.

It is expected to handle 14 million passengers a year when completed in 2032.
They are also buying a huge stake in Rwanda Air to make it their African hubbing airline. Rwanda (a country the same size as Kitui County, Kenya) is destined for even more exciting times.

David has come of age, whilst Goliath is mired in nostalgia of its past & strewn by ethnicity politics amongst its kin. It’s difficult for us to choose competence as we are all straddle in our tribal prism.

I gave many of years working in a team and we made JKIA the premier airport in the region. Today it is not where it should be. KQ is tottering in incompetence & has no direction, it’s leadership no clue of the business there are in. The Board Directors can only think of hiking their allowances as the airline further sinks.

Many years ago I consulted for Rwandair Cargo & the dream was actually actualized. My departmental cargo revenue budget in KQ was way bigger than the whole of Rwandair. There are many Kenyans now in Rwanda & turning it to the wonder of Africa. Everything boils down to leadership.

I ask my fellow Kenyans, we are great country drowned in mediocrity, what is wrong with us? We spend our lives politicking in our ethnic ghettos yet the world is going global.
I cry for my country??????????