Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay County is set to be expanded for Kes170 million after acquiring land from the adjacent neighbourhood.

Wycliffe Kadoya, the airstrip manager, reported that the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has already paid 58 landowners for the development.

According to him, the project is projected to cost Kes170 million and increase the runway from 1.2 kilometres to 1.7 km.

“We expect to compensate a total of 115 land owners, those who have not been compensated have land succession cases in court. They will be compensated as soon as they are through pursuing the matters in court,” he said.

Stanley Okumu, a Kabude Land Owners Association spokesman, stated that the landowners want KAA to raise its reparation payments.

“We tried to plead with the government to pay us more before the upgrade project started but our plea fell on deaf ears,” he said.

Mr Okumu, who heads St Mary Pap Ndege Legio Maria parish as a Bishop, said his church was paid Sh 5 million to pave the way for airstrip expansion.

“We were paid Kes 800,000 per acre which is below the prevailing market rates. KAA also did valuation of other property in affected areas and paid based on their rates,” he said.

The villagers pushed KAA to practise corporate social responsibility by constructing a school and supplying the community with water.

According to county government spokeswoman Rachel Oguttu, Homa Bay would serve as a gateway to South Nyanza once the airfield is fully operational.