Nyakisharara Airport: A Visionary Project or an Illusory Dream?

President Yoweri Museveni has unveiled ambitious plans for a new international airport in Nyakisharara, near Mbarara City, which he envisions as one of the world’s largest. Proponents suggest the Nyakisharara International Airport could serve as a crucial transit, logistical, and refueling point connecting China and Brazil, potentially tripling Uganda’s economy.

The President, a long-time proponent of Uganda’s socio-economic transformation, has allocated significant funds in the national budget towards developing essential infrastructure, including airports. The proposed Nyakisharara facility is planned to feature two 5.5-kilometer runways and an additional 3.5-kilometer runway for VIP use, positioning it as a potentially massive global aviation hub.

However, the project has faced scrutiny. The proposal was presented by a Ugandan-Chinese consortium claiming they would self-finance the airport through a Build-Operate-Transfer model, with a completion target of 2030. This timeline is half that of the smaller Kabalega International Airport. Critics note a lack of demonstrated financing sources, no prior airport development experience from the consortium’s firms, and a resemblance of the project’s artistic impression to China’s Chengdu Tianfu International Airport.

Furthermore, a feasibility study for the multi-million-dollar project is reportedly absent. While President Museveni posits Nyakisharara as a strategic midpoint between Latin America and Southeast Asia, industry analysis suggests that flights between Brazil and China via western Uganda might not be shorter or more economical than existing routes. The government has tasked the Prime Minister to expedite the project’s formalities, despite its omission from major budget and policy speeches.

Questions also arise about whether Nyakisharara can realistically attract significant passenger and cargo traffic given the ongoing upgrades and capacity of Entebbe International Airport, which is projected to handle six million passengers annually by 2033. The viability of such a large-scale project in Mbarara, without clear economic catalysts or a comprehensive plan, remains a subject of debate.

Read more about the proposed Nyakisharara International Airport in the Daily Monitor.