President William Ruto has announced plans to transform Suneka Airstrip in Kisii County into a fully operational airport by mid-2027, renewing the government’s commitment to a project that has faced years of construction delays and policy changes.
Speaking at St. Mary’s Girls High School Grounds, Narok, on November 15, Ruto acknowledged that the airstrip had previously been considered unsuitable for expansion but said the government had developed a plan to upgrade it.
Ruto said his administration had allocated funds for the project and agreed to work with Kisii Governor Simba Arati to expand the existing facility and extend its runway to accommodate larger aircraft.
Suneka Airstrip is located in Bonchari Constituency, Kisii County.
The project aims to give residents in the Gusii region access to air transport closer to home, reducing the need to travel to Kisumu, Homa Bay, or Migori to catch flights.
The government previously considered finding alternative land because of concerns over space for expansion at Suneka airstrip.
Ruto on Suneka Project
The airstrip underwent major rehabilitation in 2015, when the government spent Ksh52 million on improvements, including a passenger lounge with a capacity of 200 people, a car park, toilets, a perimeter fence, and runway markings.
In 2020, a further Ksh300 million was allocated for expansion works intended to enable the facility to handle passenger and cargo aircraft.
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The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) later contracted Arlo Logistique Company Limited and Lesma Engineering Limited to undertake Phase II runway rehabilitation.
KAA’s 2021/2022 audited accounts listed the contract at an initial KSh134 million, later revised to KSh129.19 million. The contract began on March 13, 2020, and was initially scheduled for completion on September 9, 2021. The completion date was extended to December 28, 2021.
However, the project was not completed. KAA reported that work had remained at 58 per cent and that the contractor had abandoned the site.
The authority said the contractor demobilised equipment on April 22, 2022, after a period in which work had largely stalled. KAA had issued a notice of termination on March 24, 2022.
The stalled work left Suneka short of the improvements needed for expansion and raised renewed questions about whether the site had enough land for a larger facility.
Government Reverses Decision to Decommission Airstrip
In August 2023, Ruto announced plans to decommission Suneka Airstrip, saying there was insufficient land for KAA to carry out the required expansion.
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He directed leaders from Kisii and Nyamira to identify an alternative location where the government could establish an airport for commercial aircraft.
In August 2025, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba announced that the government would recommission Suneka and resume construction following consultations between Ruto and Gusii leaders.
He said the President had directed leaders to review the facility and facilitate the restart of the project.
In July 2026, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo announced that a new contractor had taken over the stalled expansion.
He said the previous contractor had faced challenges and that the necessary documentation for the new contractor had been completed and signed.
Omollo said work was expected to resume the following week.
In 2025, Ogamba said Suneka’s proximity to Maasai Mara and Ruma National Park could support tourism and trade in Southern Nyanza. Omollo said the upgrade would reduce the distance residents travel to access flights and improve regional connectivity.
Ruto officially opened St Mary’s Pre-school and commissioned its administration block before attending a church service at St Mary’s Girls High School grounds.
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