President William Ruto has announced the construction of a new airport. Ruto, while announcing the construction of a new airport in Narok County, said that the move is aimed at boosting tourism and improving accessibility to the region.
Speaking at Ntulele Modern Market during a visit to Narok on Tuesday, May 6, the President revealed that he will be overseeing the official groundbreaking for the project later during the day.
He emphasized that the new airport would help to ensure tourists arrive in the county on time, easing travel into one of Kenya’s most popular safari destinations.
The President further noted that the project is a fulfilment of a promise he made to the people of Narok, following their request for an airport to support the county’s tourism-driven economy.
“Narok is known for its tourism. This is where the Maasai Mara is, this Narok is what gives us a lot of money from tourism. You told me to build an airport here in Narok so that tourists don’t have to worry about reaching the Maasai Mara. Today, I am going to start the construction of Narok airport, which will help our tourists,” said Ruto.
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Ruto says construction of new Airport in Narok to be done by National and County Govts
According to the Head of State the project will be undertaken by both the national government and the County Government of Narok.
The announcement comes a month after Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu welcomed the airport project during President Ruto’s development tour of the county.
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Governor Ntutu noted that the construction was among the key initiatives expected to be launched by the Head of State, emphasizing that the facility would allow tourists to fly directly into Narok rather than passing through Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
“We are ready in Narok to receive our President. He will bring us a lot of goodies, and I am urging my people in Narok to come out in large numbers to welcome him,” said Governor Ntutu.
“I asked the President for one thing—to give us an international airport. We want our tourists to fly directly from their countries to Narok without going through Nairobi.”
A few days after Governor Ntutu’s remarks, a section of Narok leaders came out to oppose the construction of the proposed international airport.
The leaders, while speaking on April 12 in Siana Ward of Narok West Constituency, claimed that the international airport should be built on public land within Narok County and not on private land.
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