Kenya will not host the 2026 Africa–France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth Summit at the Bomas of Kenya after it emerged that ongoing renovations will not be completed in time.

The Ministry of Tourism said the forum scheduled on May 11 and 12 will be relocated to another venue to allow ongoing redevelopment works to proceed without disruption.

Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Tourism and Wildlife on Wednesday, Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa said a site visit revealed that the ongoing facelift would not be completed before the international meeting.

“Our inspection has established that the works will not be completed within the stipulated timeframe,” the Committee heard.

Despite the setback, the committee expressed satisfaction with the progress and quality of work being undertaken at the site, saying the project was still offering value for money.

“The Committee is satisfied that there is value for money in the project which is aimed at transforming Bomas into a world-class facility,” Vice Chairperson Bedzimba Rashid said.

Members of the committee further reiterated their support for the government’s plan to upgrade the venue into the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC), while also pledging continued oversight to ensure proper use of public funds.

Voi Member of Parliament Khamis Chome said the decision to move the Africa–France summit was necessary due to the ongoing works at the facility.

“Changing the venue for the summit from Bomas was a pragmatic decision that will ensure the multi-billion-dollar project is implemented without pressure,” he said.

At the same time, MP Taib Abubakar observed that the redevelopment is expected to open up job opportunities for young people once completed.

Ololtuaa described the project as a major milestone that will strengthen Kenya’s position in tourism and international conferencing.

“Once complete, the BICC will position Kenya as a premier destination for high-level national and international events,” he said, adding that the project has continued to receive consistent backing from the committee.