Zambia Airports Corporation Limited Communications and Brand manager Mweembe Sikaulu says the construction works at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport are at 73 per cent overall completion.

And Sikaulu says the current terminal will also be refurbished by China Jiangx Corporation later this year.

Speaking to journalists shortly after touring on-going works at KKIA, Wednesday, Sikaulu said the Presidential pavilion and new terminal was at 80 per cent while, the hotel is at 71
per cent.

“Welcome to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and as a corporation, we have been engaged in major infrastructure development projects to upgrade the four International airports meaning KKIA, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula and Mfuwe. This infrastructure
development projects were embarked on to accommodate the anticipated increase in traffic, cargo volumes and passenger numbers. The current construction progress is as follows. The New passenger terminal and President pavilion is standing at 80 per cent, rescue and fire services station is at 98 per cent,” Sikalu said.

“Air traffic control tower is 86 percent, cargo terminal is 85 per cent, airport shopping mall is 63 per cent and airport office stands at 55 per cent respectively. This means our overall completion is at 73 per cent and the scheduled completion date is October, 2019.”

Sikaulu further said the corporation was pleased with progress made.

“As a corporation, we are very happy with the progress made and we would like to encourage members of the public to also take time and visit our website so that they see what is happening here,” she said.

And Sikaulu revealed that the current terminal will also be refurbished by China Jiangx Corporation later this year.

“The current terminal yes is part of the project and it will be refurbished by China Jiangx Corporation and so yes, the entire terminal will also be refurbished and that is in the pipe line. That will commence later this year as you know it is an operational airport so we are not going to stop the operations so we are going to look at the most comfortable way for passengers because we don’t want to inconvenience people,” said Sikaulu.

The on-going work at KKIA is at a cost of USS360 million and was awarded by China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Coorporation.