The ongoing construction of Kenya’s fifth international airport in Narok County has dimmed the prospects of an airport in Kericho.
The new facility hailed by stakeholders as a game changer is being built on 329 acres, approximately 80 kilometers from the world-renowned Maasai Mara Game Reserve and 12 kilometers from Narok town.
The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) on Thursday confirmed the ongoing construction of the Narok facility.
“On March 6, 2025, President William Ruto broke ground for the construction of the international airport in Ewaso Nyiro, Narok North. Construction has already started,” said the authority’s acting Managing Director Nicholas Bodo.
President William Ruto addresses residents of Narok after launching the construction of the Narok International Airport, which is expected to be completed within 15 months on May 6, 2025.
Photo credit: PCS
The development marks a shift in infrastructural priorities in the South Rift region. President Ruto had previously promised Kericho County residents that the dusty Kerenga Airstrip would be upgraded into a fully-fledged airport.
“The contractor has been paid Sh600 million to construct the runway within one year and I will be back in March next year (2026) to open it,” said Dr Ruto during the project’s launch.
“Narok County has budgeted Sh700 million for the construction of a control tower and other airport facilities,” he added.
The airports auhtoirty also revealed that it had advertised the planned upgrade of Kerenga Airstrip and the dilapidated Itembe Airstrip in neighbouring Bomet County.
A pre-bid/site visit for the proposed Kerenga upgrade was held on April 24, 2025 and for Itembe on April 25, 2025. Mr Bodo stated in the advertisements on the KAA’s official website that the deadline for bid submission for both airstrips was May 6, 2025.
“At present, the government does not have the funds to upgrade Kerenga Airstrip into a full airport. That’s why it is only being upgraded to a standard airstrip alongside Itembe,” a senior KAA official speaking anonymously, told the Nation .
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The logistics of the proposed Narok airport are being coordinated by KAA in collaboration with other government agencies.
Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu said the international airport will significantly boost tourism in the region.
“Tourists visiting the Maasai Mara Game Reserve will be able to fly directly into the county and travel to their destinations by road or helicopter quickly,” said Mr Ntutu.
The airport is a key infrastructural project for Narok especially as President Ruto has established a home in Kilgoris, an apparent factor in shifting priorities from Kericho to Narok.
Despite previous promises, the focus now seems to be firmly on Narok.
On December 29, 2024, the President stated that Ekaterra Plc (now Browns Plc) had released land to support the airstrip’s upgrade.
He described the airport project as key to boosting tourism in Western Kenya and the Rift Valley regions known for their natural beauty and diverse cultures.
Kericho Governor Erick Mutai told the Daily Nation that about 80 acres had been allocated for Kerenga’s upgrade.
“Multinational tea companies have released land for the airport which will ease regional transport and create business opportunities,” said Dr. Mutai.
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However, Dr Mutai declined to comment on whether the President’s directive had deprioritised the Kericho airport project.
“Construction of the airstrip will be the largest infrastructural project in the South Rift and will greatly impact economic growth. We look forward to its implementation by the national government,” he added.
The underused Kerenga Airstrip mainly serving helicopters and small aircraft used by politicians and tea company directors has long symbolised unfulfilled development promises.
Its poor condition drew ridicule ahead of the October 20, 2023 Mashujaa Day celebrations held at Kericho’s Kiprugut Chumo Stadium.
Ahead of the event, Mr Murkomen said the 1.2 km runway would be temporarily used by light planes carrying up to 37 passengers with plans to extend it to 2.0 km.
“The extension by 800 meters will follow after Mashujaa Day,” said Mr Murkomen at the time.
The airstrip was temporarily improved by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), KAA and engineers from the Ministry of Roads and Public Works to accommodate aircraft with up to 60 passengers.
This upgrade aligned with the designation of 500 acres in Chelimo for economic zones and the creation of an aggregation and processing hub in Kapsorok, Soin-Sigowet Constituency.
In Bomet, private landowners who had expected compensation and relocation for the Itembe Airstrip expansion have been left in limbo.
Despite earlier land surveys by national and county governments, expectations were dashed when it became clear that only minor upgrades were planned.
“Its unfortunate after all the excitement, the government appears to have shelved the full expansion,” said Mr Sammy Koech a resident.
The National Land Commission (NLC), KAA and the Bomet County Government are working to acquire 80 acres for expansion.
Initially, plans were in place to extend the runway currently under 1 kmto 2.4 km in length and 80 meters in width enabling its use by light aircraft.
The upgrade includes building a control tower, security installations and reconstructing the runway which has become a grazing field, children’s playground and boda boda training ground.
Structures once erected by KAA including latrines, fencing, and a wind compass, have been vandalised leaving only concrete slabs as evidence of the airstrip’s past.
On January 15, 2024, Mr Murkomen acknowledged the airstrip’s poor state and said the national and county governments were working to revive it.
In the 2017/2018 financial year, Sh125 million was allocated for the upgrade, followed by Sh63 million in 2018/2019. However, Sh81.5 million remaining in KAA’s coffers was never used and eventually reabsorbed by the Treasury.
“The biggest challenge is succession. Most of the land earmarked for expansion lacks title deeds and is still registered under deceased ancestors ,” said Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok.
Prof Barchok urged the national government to release funds urgently to make the airstrip commercially viable.
