Ruto: Narok International Airport will be ready by March 2026
President William Ruto on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, broke ground on the much-anticipated Narok International Airport, a project he says will transform the country’s tourism economy by directly linking the world to the iconic Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, President Ruto defended the airport as a strategic infrastructure investment, asserting it will eliminate the need for international tourists to route through Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) before making the final leg to Narok.
“Wakati nimekuja hapa kwa mambo ya economic forum watu wa Narok walituambia ‘kwa sababu Narok ni county yenye sifa yake ni utalii nyinyi munataka kuwe na airport ambayo itahakikisha usafiri. Wale watalii watoke sehemu kote Kenya na duniani tuwe na airport hapa international ambayo itatuwezesha kukaribisha wageni, kukaribisha watalii ndo Maasai Mara yetu itupatie nafasi ya kuongeza rasilimali na mapato kwa watu wa county ya Narok,” Ruto told the gathering of local leaders, contractors, and community members.
According to the president, the airport’s construction is already underway, with the government having disbursed Ksh700 million to the contractor responsible for building the runway.
He emphasised that the deadline for completion is tight and non-negotiable.
Ruto said that he would be back in Narok in March 2026 to launch the airport.
“Leo mimi nimekuja hapa na contractor sawasawa. Na huyo contractor tumemlipa milioni mia saba kutengeneza hii runway ya hapa. Na contractor nimemuambia nitarudi hapa mwezi wa tatu mwaka ujao kuja kufungua hii airport ikiwa imekua tayari. Sasa wewe contractor utajua vile utajipanga,” he said.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Rift Valley, the Narok International Airport is being touted as a flagship regional gateway that will open up the southern tourism corridor, reduce travel time for visitors, and ease pressure on Nairobi’s already congested air infrastructure.
But the project has not been without its critics.
Opponents argue that the region already enjoys significant aviation access, with more than 10 operational airstrips dotting the Maasai Mara and its surrounding conservancies.
Among them are Keekorok, Serena, Musiara, Kichwa Tembo, and Ol Kiombo — all of which handle chartered tourist flights daily.
Still, Ruto’s administration insists that the new airport will go beyond serving tourism and instead act as a logistics and economic hub for the larger Rift Valley region.
The site, located outside Narok town, is expected to include customs and immigration facilities.
For residents and business owners in Narok, hopes are high that the airport could unlock new opportunities in trade, employment, and infrastructure.
Whether it delivers on its promise or becomes yet another case study in white elephant economics will become clear in just over a year.
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Martin Oduor
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