Uganda’s second-largest airport is in the final stages, and soon is opening to start operations. Kabaale International Airport also called Hoima International Airport under construction is anticipated to be completed in February 2023 and twitch its operations.
Among the oil refinery project under construction, is the Hoima-based airport whose completion now hits 80%.
The airport construction started in 2018 by the SBC Uganda Ltd contractors is anticipated to be completed by February 2023. The work was anticipated to be completed by April 2022, but the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the process.
And the completion of the airport will help to import gas equipment to be used in oil infrastructure construction, especially for the construction of the Uganda Oil refinery, and assist in the development of the industrial park, tourism, and agriculture in western Uganda region.
Amos Muriisa, the PR SBC Uganda, confirmed that the project will be ready by February 2023, the new deadline that was set by the government through the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU).
The accomplishment of the first phase of the airport is facilitating the import of heavy equipment and machinery to be used by oil and gas companies that won the contract to mine oil in Uganda (CNOOC Uganda) and Total Energies).
These companies are currently in their initial stages of developing their projects which include field flow pipelines, feeder pipelines, the central processing facilities in the fields, and the Kabaale industrial park.
With the major one being the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and refinery, the airport is crucial to mobilizing much of the equipment needed here.
So, the 2nd phase of the airport is expected to expand the passenger terminal which will be expected to boost tourism and other activities.
Currently, the construction of the runway of 45m wide and 3.5km long is 95% complete, and the cargo terminal building, limited passenger terminal building, power substation house, the air grounding lighting system, and the air rescue firefighting house all are between 79% complete.
According to SBC, the airport is designed to handle the largest cargo planes in the aviation industry, whereby the apron can host about 4 largest cargo plans at once.
In the next 9 months will see the construction of housing for air operators and control tower start and completed, according to Muriisa.
These include; the oil and gas processing facilities, the East African Oil Pipeline Project, refinery, and other related activities in the industrial park. Other facilities expected to be constructed on the 29.7km2 of land are; shopping malls, recreational centers, health centers, technical colleges, and accommodation among others.
Kabaale International Airport or Hoima International Airport is located in Kabaale Parish, Buseruka sub-county, Hoima district in Western Uganda (Bunyoro region). It’s just near Kaiso-Tonya Oil Field and the Uganda Oil Refinery.
The air distance between Kabaale Airport and Entebbe International Aiport, Uganda’s largest and only International airport is about 200km. And on-road the airport is bout 33km distance from Hoima city.
