Lokichoggio Airport started sometimes in the 1970,s as a small Airstrip being used by missionaries working in the remote parts of Turkana District, Northern Kenya. In later years and particularly in 1986, when the Sudanese civil war intensified leading to an influx of refugees from Southern Sudan into Kenya, the international community intervened and started to provide relief and medical supplies to the refugees through the airstrip.
This saw most of the NGOs consolidating their activities under the umbrella of the United Nation. Subsequently the airstrip was expanded to carter for ever increasing aircraft seeking to land at the field. Most of the NGO’S were:
- UN - World Food Program - WFP
- United Nations Children’s Fund - UNICEF
- International Committee of the Red Cross – ICRC
The airfield later, in 1989 was established as relief base for South Sudan under a tripartite agreement involving the Sudanese Liberation Movement, (SPLM), United Nations (UN) and the Kenya Government. This led to the establishment of Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) to co-ordinate relief operations to Southern Sudan region which was facing major humanitarian crisis precipitated by long droughts and civil war. However, due to security reasons, the Government took over the running of the Airstrip in 1999 and this saw the deployment of officers from key Government departments and the Kenya Airports Authority to spearhead the core functions of the airport.
Other UN agencies using the airport include; WHO, FAO, UNDP, UNMAS and UNHCR. There are 35 other NGOs under UN umbrella of OPERATION LIFE LINE SUDAN (OLS) and 41 other NON OLS NGOs. Government agencies represented at Loki airport are; Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority, National Security Intelligence Service, Immigration Service, Port Health and Kenya Airports Police Unit.
Local Time: 04:23 AM | GMT: 01:23 AM | Aug 01, 2010
