Kitona Base Airport (FZAI)
Location: Kitona, Kongo Central
Status: Active
ICAO Code: FZAI
IATA Code: None
Coordinates (verified): -5.919086°, 12.442534°
Kitona is a small village in Kongo Central province. The military base and its airport take their name from this village, although it is more than five kilometers south of the base, located at -5.966248°, 12.452141°.
Historical Background
Kitona Base Airport was constructed as part of a military base during the colonial era. Following the Second World War, Belgium decided to establish two military bases in its colony, the Belgian Congo (Congo Belge). In 1951, a plateau near Kitona was chosen as the location for one of these bases. Construction began in 1953, and by 1958, the first Belgian troops arrived.
Kitona’s strategic significance grew dramatically in the period leading up to Congolese independence in 1960, when Belgian forces actively intervened in the country. A detailed account of Kitona Base’s role during this time can be found here. In 1960, the United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Twining, reported to Secretary of Defense Gates that it was considered essential “that the airfield at Kitona, and the port of Banana, and the Kamina base complex, Republic of Congo, remain in friendly hands, and further, that these facilities be denied to the military forces of the Soviet Bloc.”
During the so-called Congo Crisis (1960–1965), the base was used by UN troops and later came under the command of the Congolese Army. A CIA report states that under Mobutu’s rule, Kitona functioned as a basic infantry training center. However, due to the fact that most conflicts during Mobutu’s reign occurred far from Kongo Central province, the base gradually lost much of its strategic significance.
This situation changed dramatically in 1998 when Rwandan forces fighting against newly installed DRC president Laurent-Désiré Kabila used Kitona Airport to airlift multiple battalions from Rwanda, effectively creating a second front in their war against the DRC. The political situation at the time was extremely complex, and the daring operation, its initial success, and eventual failure resemble the plot of a thriller. James Stejskal has written a highly recommended article on this dramatic episode.
Current Status (as of 2025)
With the exception of the Rwandan incursion in 1998, Kongo Central province has, fortunately, remained at peace compared to other regions in the Congo. Since then, the Kitona base has reverted to its former function as a military training facility with reduced importance.
Kitona Base Airport remains active but is not frequently used. The paved runway is still clearly visible, but the state of the concrete appears to be in poor condition. Satellite imagery reveals multiple dirt paths crossing the airfield, likely created by local inhabitants, indicating a lack of strict security measures at the airport.
