Kamembe Airport

Kamembe International Airport, (IATA: KME, ICAO: HRZA), is an airport in Rwanda. RwandAir operates a Dash 8-Q400 with seven flights per week to and from Kigali International Airport. The airport receives charter flights from Tanzania, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, though not on a regular schedule. During the Rwandan Civil War, Kamembe airport was suggested as a site for transiting French arms to the interim government after April 1994.[1]

Kamembe International Airport
Kamembe airport terminal seen from the runway, 2017
Summary
Airport typeCivil
OwnerRwandan Government
OperatorRwanda Airports Authority
ServesCyangugu
LocationKamembe, Rwanda
Elevation AMSL5,192 ft / 1,583 m
Coordinates02°27′23″S 28°54′35″E
Map
KME
Location of the airport in Rwanda
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
02/20 4,921 1,500 Asphalt

Location

Kamembe Airport is located approximately 5 kilometres (3 mi), by road, north of Cyangugu's central business district, Rusizi District, in the Western Province of Rwanda.[2] The airport is located approximately 147.5 kilometres (92 mi), by air, southwest of Kigali International Airport, the largest airport in the country.[3] It sits at an altitude of 5,192 feet (1,583 m) above mean sea level.[4] The geographical coordinates of Kamembe Airport are: 02°27'23.0"S, 28°54'35.0"E (Latitude:-2.456389; Longitude:28.909722).[5]

Overview

Kamembe is a medium airport with one paved runway 02/20 that measures 4,921 feet (1,500 m) long and 148 feet (45 m) wide.[4]

History

The airport terminal building was heavily damaged by a 2008 earthquake,[6] and early in 2010 the Rwanda government announced that Kamembe Airport would be repaired and modernized.[7]

By the end of 2012 a new terminal was completed, a new control tower was opened, and Techno Sky, a branch of the Italian publicly owned ENAV corporation, had installed new navigation systems.[8]

During a May 2013 visit, Infrastructure Minister Albert Nsengiyumva announced that the runway would be widened and lengthened from 1.5 kilometres (4,900 ft) to  2 kilometres (6,600 ft) by 2015.[9] The airport re-opened in June 2015 and RwandAir began scheduled flights from the airport.[10]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
RwandAir Kigali[11]

References
  1. Alison Des Forges (March 1999). Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda – Acknowledging Genocide. New York City: Human Rights Watch. ISBN 1-56432-171-1. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  2. Google (31 May 2020). "Road Distance Between Rusizi Taxi Park, Cyangugu and Kamembe Airport in Rwanda" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  3. Globefeed.com (31 May 2020). "Distance between Kigali International Airport KGL and Kamembe Airport KME, Flight Time/Duration". Globefeed.com. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  4. Great Circle Mapper (31 May 2020), Kamembe Airport (HRZA/KME), Greatcirclemapper.net, retrieved 31 May 2020
  5. Google (31 May 2020). "Location of Kamembe Airport, Rwanda" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  6. Church Mission Society (4 February 2008). "Earthquake hits Rwanda and Congo". Oxford, United Kingdom: Churchmissionsociety.org. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  7. Gérard Rugambwa (31 May 2010). "Kamembe Airport Will Be Rehabilitated" (Archived from the original on 16 March 2012). Kigali: Rwanda Information Office (ORINFOR). Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  8. Ndahiro, A; Rwagatare, J. (eds.). Rwanda: Rebuilding of a Nation. African Books Collective. p. 161. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  9. "Kamembe airport upgrade to boost tourism industry". New Times. Kigali. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  10. Wolfgang Thome (15 June 2015). "Kamembe Airport ready to open new runway". eTurboNews.com. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  11. New Times Rwanda (5 March 2010). "RwandAir to resume daily flights to Kamembe". New Times (Rwanda). Kigali. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
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