Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has dismissed reports linking a private company to the planned modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), stating that the firm neither participated in the procurement process nor has any connection to the multi-billion-shilling project.
Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday, Chirchir said the government was concerned by media reports associating the company with the airport expansion and alleging the project would cost Sh375 billion.
“We wish to clarify that the company referred to in those reports did not participate in this procurement process as a bidder and has no role, involvement or association whatsoever with this project,” Chirchir said.
He further rejected claims that the project would cost Sh375 billion, insisting the total expenditure is expected to remain below Sh154.2 billion.
“The figure of Sh375 billion is two and a half times the cost that we do not expect to exceed,” he said.
The CS said the procurement process has been conducted transparently through an open international competitive bidding process in accordance with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act.
According to Chirchir, bidding closed on May 14, 2026, but no contract has been awarded and no agreement signed as the procuring entity is still awaiting an evaluation report from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority.
“As we speak today, we don’t have an award. We could have an intention to award, but the process is still ongoing in line with the requirements of the law,” he said.
The government is seeking to transform JKIA into a world-class aviation hub through a project that includes upgrading the airfield, renovating the existing terminal and constructing a new passenger terminal.
The current terminal's capacity will increase from 7.5 million to 12 million passengers annually, while the new terminal will accommodate an additional 10 million passengers, bringing the airport’s total capacity to 22 million passengers per year.
“It is an X design to accommodate the planes and movements on the three other sides while making sure that the distances from the core is quite comfortable for the passengers,” Chirchir said.
Chirchir said the expansion is necessary to address growing pressure on the airport’s ageing infrastructure, which has struggled to keep pace with rising passenger traffic, cargo volumes and aircraft movements.
To finance the project, the government has engaged Trade Development Bank and the Africa Finance Corporation as lead arrangers.
The funding model will rely on airport-generated revenues and will be structured off the government’s balance sheet to avoid competing with key social programmes for public resources.
The CS maintained that all legal and stakeholder consultation requirements have been observed and urged the public to rely on official government communication regarding the project.
He also called on sections of the media to correct what he described as inaccurate reporting surrounding the airport expansion plan.
Chirchir has moved to quell growing public uncertainty over the planned modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, insisting that the procurement process has been transparent and that the project’s cost will not exceed Sh154.2 billion – less than half the figure recently reported in some media outlets.
Chirchir said the government remains committed to transforming JKIA into a world-class aviation hub that will support economic growth, tourism, trade and regional connectivity for decades to come.
He said the airport’s core infrastructure, much of which was developed decades ago, has undergone only incremental improvements despite sustained growth in passenger numbers, aircraft movements and cargo volumes, he said, adding that the airport is increasingly operating under capacity constraints.
The master plan and feasibility study, undertaken by a global engineering firm over a period of one year from February last year to February this year, involved consultations with the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture.
“We have had challenges with freighters of taking flowers and so on,” Chirchir noted.
The project encompasses three components: improvement of the existing airfield; renovation of the current terminal; and construction of a new terminal building with associated support facilities.
The renovation of the existing terminal is expected to take 18 months, with a 24-month defect liability period, while the new terminal construction is scheduled for completion within 36 months, also with a 24-month defect liability period.
Responding to a question about a challenge by the Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek), Chirchir did not provide specific details but reiterated that the process remains compliant with procurement laws.
He said the government has conducted multiple stakeholder engagements, including presentations to KAA staff, the Kenya Aviation Workers Union, the National Assembly Committee for Transport and Infrastructure, and a disability inclusion forum.
Chirchir urged the public to rely on official government communication and invited the media to retract false reporting.
“We are available, gentlemen, to clarify this is a mega project of magnificent, basically significant importance in this country.”
