Kenya will start building a new modern airport within the next two months, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki announced on Tuesday as the government steps up efforts to replace the ageing Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Speaking in Nairobi, Kindiki said Kenya had made major gains in roads and electricity but still lacked an airport matching the country’s ambitions. “We are doing well in many things but we do not have a good airport.
In the next two months we are starting to build a modern airport because the one that exists was built by our forefathers,” he said. “Next time you come to Nairobi you will find something different.”
Why JKIA needs urgent replacement
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, East Africa’s busiest hub, has long faced criticism over leaking roofs, limited runway capacity and outdated terminals. Recent incidents — including a Jambojet aircraft hitting flagpoles at the VIP pavilion and viral videos of protocol breaches — have intensified calls for action.
President William Ruto last month described the airport’s state as unacceptable. “We need to build a new airport, tuwache upuzi! What do we have at JKIA — canvas on the runway?” he asked, dismissing claims that the government planned to sell the facility.
KSh 200 billion project to use private funds
The new airport is expected to cost around KSh 200 billion (USD 1.5 billion). The government intends to finance it through a public-private partnership model similar to the one Qatar used for Rwanda’s Bugesera International Airport, where Qatar Airways holds 60% stake.
Kenya scrapped a controversial deal with India’s Adani Group earlier this year over governance concerns. Talks are now ongoing with the European Investment Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and China Exim Bank, among others.
President Ruto said the project would not rely heavily on public funds. “The kind of investment JKIA needs is around KSh 200 billion. This can be achieved through the private sector,” he stressed.
Part of wider infrastructure push
The airport forms part of a broader plan to position Kenya as East Africa’s transport and logistics hub within 20 to 30 years.
From January 2026 the Standard Gauge Railway will be extended from Naivasha to Kisumu and onward to Malaba on the Uganda border. “We shall close the loop and make Kenya the heart of East Africa’s logistics system,” Ruto said.
New highways, upgraded ports and expanded rail links are also in the pipeline, to be funded through a National Infrastructure Fund and Sovereign Wealth Fund to reduce reliance on foreign debt.
Economic gains expected
Aviation currently contributes KSh 425 billion (USD 3.3 billion) to Kenya’s gross domestic product and supports more than 21,000 direct jobs. A modern airport would handle larger aircraft, cut congestion and attract more international carriers.
Experts say the upgrades will boost high-value exports, lower business costs and create thousands of jobs under President Ruto Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
With JKIA handling 8.7 million passengers a year out of Kenya’s total 12.7 million, pressure on the facility continues to grow. Kindiki’s two-month timeline has raised hopes that Kenya will soon have an airport matching its regional standing.
