Wamuzi News Ke
In a stunning turn of events that has sent shockwaves through Kenya’s aviation and political spheres, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has abruptly announced bold plans to build an entirely new airport—marking a dramatic pivot from the collapsed Adani-JKIA deal.
Speaking at Monday’s high-stakes Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Symposium in Nairobi, CS Chirchir dropped the bombshell: the government is abandoning efforts to expand or overhaul the aging Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and instead will construct a fresh aviation hub.
The move, he explained, is aimed at overcoming longstanding infrastructural bottlenecks and reasserting Kenya’s leadership in regional air transport.In a blunt and evocative statement, Chirchir declared: “We do not have an airport; our airport was burnt at some point around 2013/2014.
Our attempts to build a new one have met challenges due to the democratic space we exist in.” He added: “We are in the process of building a new one so that we really become an anchor state that attracts.”
The announcement effectively closes the chapter on the controversial Adani Group engagement—an arrangement that stirred widespread public outrage, triggered legal scrutiny, and ultimately collapsed under its own weight.
Now, the government is pursuing a more transparent and visionary approach, promising not just upgrades, but a total reinvention of Kenya’s gateway to the world.As details remain murky, Kenyans are left wondering where the new airport will be located, how long construction will take, and what budget this audacious project will require.
The abrupt shift from rehabilitating JKIA to constructing from scratch raises urgent questions about timelines, funding sources, and the fate of ongoing operations at the existing facility.
This explosive revelation could reshape not only Nairobi’s cityscape but also the broader future of East African aviation. As Kenyans hold their breath, one thing is clear: the race to build Kenya’s next major aviation landmark has just begun—on a stage far grander than anyone anticipated.
