ZANZIBAR’S PEMBA AIRPORT TO UNDERGO MAJOR FACE-LIFT

Zanzibar government to upgrade Pemba Airport.

The Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, through it’s Vice President Seif Ali Iddi, said the Pemba Airport will undergo a major upgrade to be able to accommodate bigger planes and handle international flights.

There is no information for the cost of the upgrade yet. But experts from Egypt are currently undertaking various measurements on how to upgrade the airport. So the project is currently undergoing feasibility study. The African Development Bank (AfDB) will fund the project.

Upon completion, the upgrade exercise will play an important role in Zanzibar. It will certainly increase the number of tourists visiting the semi-autonomous Indian Ocean archipelago. As tourism accounts for 27% of Zanzibar’s gross domestic product.

The Pemba Airport is on the Pemba Island, in the Zanzibar Archipelago. It is about 7 km southeast of Chake-Chake, the capital of the island. The Airport is also known as Karume Airport and Wawi Airport.

The Zanzibar government is however, looking into the possibility of renaming the airport to Thabit Kombo Jecha in recognition of his role in the Zanzibar Revolution.