Zanzibar signs $230 million contract to upgrade Pemba Airport

Unguja. The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (SMZ) has signed a contract to upgrade Pemba Airport to International status with contractors Propav JV of Brazil and Mecco, work that is expected to be carried out in two phases.

Upon completion of construction work in 2025, President Mwinyi says the facility will open up Zanzibar economically because it will allow large aircrafts to land on the Island of Pemba.

 Pemba airport has the capacity to serve 45,000 passengers per year, but it now serves 110,000 passengers per year and upon completion  the new airport, will have the capacity to serve 750,000 passengers per year.

The signing ceremony between the Ministry of Works and the contractors was witnessed by President Hussein Mwinyi at State House Zanzibar.

"The preliminary designs of terminal building in an area of ​​14,000 square meters with a value of $230 million(Sh536 billion) and a runway with a length of 2.5 kilometers have been completed. But since only $170 million has been secured, construction will be done in two phases,” said the Minister for Transport, Works and Communication Dr Khalid Salum Mohamed.

According to him the agreement that was signed was for the first phase of the construction which will cover 74 percent of the entire project.

Dr. Mohamed said that apart from the construction of the airport, the contract will also include the construction of Unguja and Pemba roads, increasing the size of the airport building from 6,890 square meters to 9,170 meters and the runway from 2,200 to 2,510 meters.

Pemba Airport also known as Karume Airport was built in 1962 with a runway of 500 meters length and 15 meters width, however, another airport was constructed later in 1974.

Speaking after the signing ceremony President Mwinyi called upon the contractors to make sure the construction work is completed on time.

"I promised to open up Pemba economically, this is just part of that implementation, we have to do this so that the people can benefit from their resources," said Dr. Mwinyi.

On his part the Director of the Mecco company, Nasser Sheikh said they are proud to be a part of the development of the Zanzibar economy and they will make sure they implement the project on time as stipulated by the contract.