Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has happily announced that Kenya will have a new airport soon.
Speaking on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, Kindiki announced that the government has now settled on constructing an entirely new facility to replace the ageing Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
He said the current infrastructure is too outdated to handle Kenya’s future aviation demands.
Kindiki explained that long-term projections show the country must expand capacity if it is to compete with global hubs and attract heavier traffic in the coming decades.
Kenyan flags hoisted at JKIA. Photo: Kithure Kindiki Source: Facebook
While addressing the public, Kindiki stated, “We are building a new airport at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The one we have is old.”
He added that the project aims to raise the number of passengers passing through JKIA from the current 88 million annually to at least 100 million.
He noted that this would allow Kenya to match the standards of world-class airports such as Dubai International Airport.
Funding for the new airport will come from a mix of public-private partnerships and selective privatisation of some government-owned assets.
Kindiki said proceeds from such privatisation will be directed strictly to development work such as roads, dams and airport construction. He stressed that the government will avoid using the funds for recurrent expenditures.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki speaks during a past event. Photo: Kithure Kindiki Source: Facebook
The announcement complements President William Ruto’s long-term dream of transforming Kenya into a first-world economy before 2050.
The President has often said the country must reduce borrowing and embrace smarter financing models to fund big projects.
The government’s fresh push to build a new airport comes months after the controversial Adani deal collapsed.
In November 2024, President Ruto cancelled the multi-billion shilling agreement after Indian billionaire Gautam Adani was indicted in the United States for alleged fraud.
In his state of the nation address, he said the decision followed “new information provided by our investigative agencies and partner nations.”
President William Ruto during US tour. Photo: William Ruto Source: Facebook
The airport deal had sparked protests, lawsuits and widespread public resistance, with many fearing corruption and job losses.
The Adani proposal involved upgrading JKIA and running it for at least 30 years under a build-operate-transfer model.
Ruto’s cancellation cleared the way for alternative plans, and Kindiki’s announcement now marks the government’s first major step toward replacing the old facility.