NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto has announced that construction of a new airport in Nairobi will begin before June this year, marking a major expansion of Kenya’s aviation and transport infrastructure.
Speaking during the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) National Governing Council meeting at State House, Nairobi, on Monday, the President said the project forms part of the government’s broader strategy to unlock economic growth and strengthen Kenya’s position as a regional logistics hub.
Ruto underscored the central role of infrastructure in national development, insisting that sustained economic transformation is impossible without deliberate investment in transport networks.
“We cannot develop Kenya without infrastructure. We must have roads, we must have a railway, and we must have an airport,” the President said.
“We are mapping out a new airport here in Nairobi, which will begin before June this year,” he added.
The Head of State did not disclose the exact location, size, or projected cost of the proposed airport. However, officials familiar with ongoing infrastructure planning have previously indicated that the government has been exploring options to ease congestion at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), which currently handles the bulk of Kenya’s international and regional air traffic.
Ruto framed the new airport as part of a wider transport ecosystem that includes road, rail, and port infrastructure, aimed at lowering the cost of doing business and improving connectivity across the country.
The President’s remarks were delivered as he rallied UDA leaders around what he described as a non-negotiable development agenda, insisting that infrastructure investment remains central to job creation, trade expansion, and long-term competitiveness.
Further details on the scope, location, and implementation timeline of the new airport are expected once the planning phase is concluded and relevant approvals are secured.
