Ruto: “JKIA Is Not for Sale; We’re Collaborating with Investors for a New Airport”

President Ruto Addresses JKIA Sale Rumors: Government Focused on Public-Private Partnership for Upgrades
President William Ruto has firmly dismissed rumors suggesting that the government plans to sell Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to private investors. In a Townhall conversation held in Mombasa on Sunday, Ruto clarified that Kenya is pursuing a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to modernize and upgrade the airport, not to sell it.
Ruto explained that the current infrastructure at JKIA, particularly in the arrivals area, is outdated and temporary. “The airport we have in Nairobi is made of canvas in the arrivals. This is a temporary structure we put up almost 7 years ago. Ethiopia and Rwanda have new airports, which is why we need to collaborate with investors to give us a new and improved airport,” he stated.
The President emphasized that a PPP program is the ideal approach to enhance JKIA, as it invites both foreign and local investment into the project. “Am I a mad man? How do you sell a strategic national asset? You have to be insane. We must have the right investment for the airport. What we want to do is to work under the PPP program,” Ruto asserted.
Ruto’s remarks come in the wake of public concern over the involvement of Adani Airports Holding Limited, which recently proposed a Ksh.242 billion investment to expand JKIA. The proposal, part of the Cabinet-approved JKIA Medium Term Investment Plan, includes significant upgrades such as improvements to the passenger terminal, construction of a new terminal, a second runway, and enhancements to the taxiway and apron.
The plan has drawn scrutiny from civil society groups and legislators who fear that it might pave the way for the privatization of the airport. However, Ruto’s statement aims to reassure the public that the government’s intent is to upgrade JKIA through a collaborative partnership rather than selling the asset.