Kenya just fuelled its aviation future. Now comes the hard part: keeping it from flaming out.

Moses Wekesa has taken command of the Kenya Airports Authority at a moment of maximum turbulence and maximum opportunity. The former KenGen executive, who has steered high‑impact infrastructure projects across Europe, Asia, the Pacific and Africa, was appointed Managing Director and CEO on April 14, ending nearly three years of acting leadership. His mission: to drive the most ambitious aviation overhaul in Kenya's history—a multibillion‑shilling modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Wilson Airport that will determine whether Nairobi can reclaim its place as East Africa's undisputed aviation capital.

The stakes could not be higher. JKIA, Kenya's primary international gateway and the hub for Kenya Airways, handled approximately 8.93 million passengers in 2025—well above its design capacity of 7.5 million. The airport operates with a single runway and a terminal complex that has grown in piecemeal fashion, creating severe congestion, operational bottlenecks and safety concerns. A technical mission by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently described the airport's infrastructure as being in a "poor and deteriorating state," warning that ageing facilities and operational inefficiencies pose safety and reliability risks if left unaddressed.

Now, with Wekesa at the helm, the Kenya Airports Authority is launching a two‑pronged, multi‑phase expansion programme that aims to more than double passenger capacity by 2045 and transform JKIA into a fully integrated Airport City and Special Economic Zone.

The Master Plan: From Overcrowded Gateway to Regional Super‑Hub

The Integrated JKIA Master Plan and Feasibility Study, completed in February 2026, charts a clear path forward:

• Short‑term (2026–2027): An 18‑month optimisation of existing terminals, including digitalisation of passenger processing, upgraded baggage handling systems and reconfiguration of passenger flows. The interim upgrade will raise capacity from 7.5 million to 12 million passengers annually. A temporary tented structure erected after the 2013 fire—now 13 years into a 10‑year design life—will be phased out.

• Medium‑term (2029): Construction of a new passenger terminal capable of handling an additional 10 million passengers per year, with provision for future expansion to 15 million. The terminal will feature a distinctive X‑shaped design and will be built concurrently with the optimisation of existing facilities.

• Long‑term (2030–2045): A second runway—delayed for decades—is slated for completion by 2030‑2031 to allow simultaneous takeoffs and landings. By 2045, total passenger handling capacity is projected to reach 22.31 million annually, while cargo volumes are expected to more than double from 407,214 tons in 2025 to 860,400 tons.

A Turbulent Backdrop: The Adani Collapse and Governance Scrutiny

Wekesa inherits a legacy of controversy. In November 2024, President William Ruto cancelled a proposed Sh238 billion (USD 1.85 billion) public‑private partnership with India's Adani Group that would have granted the conglomerate a 30‑year operating lease to expand JKIA. The deal collapsed amid legal challenges, public outcry over transparency, and subsequent US bribery charges against Adani's founder. Kenya's taxpayer ended up footing a Sh243.2 million legal bill after the deal flopped.

The cancellation left JKIA's modernisation in limbo, but the government has since pivoted to a publicly funded, competitively tendered approach. "We are out competitively advertising for interested bidders to come in today," Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said in March 2026, adding that the new tender will follow strict PPDA rules and evaluation processes. Chirchir has committed to delivering the new airport within three years, working "around the clock".

The New Captain: Moses Wekesa's Credentials

Wekesa brings a rare combination of engineering rigour, financial discipline and international project management experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nairobi, as well as postgraduate qualifications in finance, appraisal and project planning from the University of Bradford in the UK. As Business Development Director at KenGen, he managed high‑impact projects across multiple continents.

"His expertise extends to the wider infrastructure sector, equipping him to advance Kenya's aviation infrastructure," the KAA board said in a statement, adding that Wekesa emerged as the ideal candidate through a rigorous competitive recruitment process. He replaces acting Managing Director Mohamud Gedi, who has been serving in the role since the 2023 exit of Alex Gitari.

Wilson Airport: A Parallel Overhaul

While JKIA grabs the headlines, Wekesa must also oversee an extensive rehabilitation of Wilson Airport, one of Africa's busiest general aviation hubs. Handling approximately 250,000 aircraft movements annually, Wilson serves as the primary gateway to Kenya's tourism circuits, including the Maasai Mara, Amboseli and the northern conservancies.

The rehabilitation includes critical repairs to Runway 14/32, improvements to aprons and the construction of a new terminal facility to centralise operations. The works, being implemented in five phases over 18 months, have already forced domestic airlines such as Safarilink to shift some flights to JKIA, introducing additional costs and passenger transfer logistics.

The Regional Race: Can Kenya Catch Up?

Kenya is not alone in its aviation ambitions. Across East Africa, competitors are spending heavily:

• Ethiopia broke ground on the new Bishoftu International Airport, a mega‑hub designed to cement Addis Ababa's dominance as Africa's leading aviation gateway.

• Rwanda is set to open Bugesera International Airport, with an initial capacity of 8 million passengers per year, aiming to position Kigali as the next significant hub in the region.

• Across the continent, African aviation capacity is set to grow by 18.6% in 2026, with East Africa leading the sub‑regional expansion.

Kenya's advantage lies in its strategic location, a strong national carrier in Kenya Airways, and a booming tourism and logistics sector. But without rapid infrastructure upgrades, analysts warn that JKIA risks losing transit traffic to better‑equipped rivals. "We will begin the construction of a modern, world‑class airport at JKIA to anchor our nation as the aviation capital of our region," President Ruto said in his New Year address, a pledge that now rests squarely on Wekesa's shoulders.

The Economic Imperative

Aviation is a critical driver of Kenya's economy. The sector supports hundreds of thousands of jobs directly and indirectly, enables the country's KES 350 billion tourism industry, and facilitates trade and investment. The planned Airport City and Special Economic Zone around JKIA aim to attract high‑value industries such as agro‑processing, pharmaceuticals, e‑commerce fulfilment and regional distribution, creating an aviation‑led economic hub that extends far beyond the runway.

Passenger numbers are projected to grow at an average rate of 4.6% annually between 2025 and 2045, driven by tourism recovery, Kenya's visa‑free policy (which boosted visitor arrivals by 48% in early 2025), regional connectivity and Nairobi's expanding role as a diplomatic and conference hub.

The Wekesa Mandate: Balance, Delivery and Accountability

Wekesa's task is as much political as it is technical. He must deliver transformative infrastructure while navigating intense public scrutiny over governance, transparency and value for money—lessons painfully learned from the Adani fiasco. He must balance competing demands for speed and accountability, all while managing the day‑to‑day operations of an airport network that is already stretched to its limits.

The KAA board expressed confidence in his ability to steer these projects, noting the "smooth transition" as the authority's modernisation initiatives accelerate "to enhance the sector's contribution to Kenya's economy". Wekesa's first test will be overseeing the ongoing tender for JKIA's new terminal, ensuring the process remains competitive, transparent and legally sound.

The Final Approach

For years, Kenya has talked about transforming JKIA into a world‑class gateway. With Moses Wekesa now in the cockpit, the country has its pilot. The runway is clear, the flight plan is filed, and the engines are throttling up. The only question that remains is whether the landing will be smooth—or whether turbulence will once again divert the nation's aviation destiny. One thing is certain: all eyes in East Africa's skies are now fixed on Nairobi.