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Kisoro, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) is looking for land to expand the runway at Kisoro Aerodrome to enhance its capacity to handle larger aircraft.
The runway is just 1.2 kilometers long and can only handle small planes like 7-seaters, yet UCCA says, there is increasing demand for air travel services, especially by tourists to the area.
The UCAA has in the meantime completed the repair and upgrade of the existing runway, a strategic infrastructure project, which involves the apron, taxiway, and access road for fire trucks, which have also been upgraded.
The authority says this repair should boost the tourism landscape in Uganda by facilitating direct access to game parks for both domestic and international tourists, as they fly from other East African countries.
Previously, the travelers had to land at Entebbe Airport and then take connecting flights to reach their final destinations, leading to additional travel time and logistical complexities.
Under the East African Tourism Circuit, with prior arrangements made, operators can fly from within the region directly to some aerodromes, especially those next to tourism sites, including Kisoro, Kasese, Kidepo, Pakuba, Arua and Gulu, according to UCAA.
The authority, together with the Ministry of Works and Transport, is now planning to increase the length of the runway, but the long-term plans are limited by available land. “The medium-term plan is to upgrade the Kisoro Aerodrome runway from its current runway length of 1200 metres to a longer runway,” says a statement from the communications department.
“The ideal plan is to upgrade it to 2300 meters, but the currently available land can accommodate 1800 meters,” says Vianney Luggya, the head of communications. The government is looking at the option of acquiring more land for further expansion so that “it matches international standards for aerodromes of this caliber” to attract more international tourists.
Currently, full feasibility, engineering designs, and environment and social impact assessments are ongoing, according to UCAA. The facility mainly serves the town of Kisoro and the nearby Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Located in extreme southwestern Uganda, it lies six kilometers north of the Rwanda border, and about 343 kilometres by air southwest of Entebbe International Airport.
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