The United States and Kenya officially broke ground on a massive $70 million (KSh 9 billion) expansion of the Manda Bay Air Base in Lamu County. The project is a strategic upgrade designed to solidify Kenya’s role as the first Major Non-NATO Ally in sub-Saharan Africa.
The centrepiece is a new 10,000-foot (3.5 km) runway capable of accommodating wide-body aircraft, including C-130 Hercules transport planes and potentially fighter jets.
The expansion is aimed at boosting counter-terrorism operations against Al-Shabaab and improving surveillance and logistics along the Kenya–Somalia border and the Indian Ocean maritime routes.
The project is being jointly funded by both nations, with sections assigned to each for development. It is expected to be completed within 18 months (mid-2027).
The ceremony was presided over by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, alongside AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson.
Beyond security, the Kenyan government believes the upgrade will stimulate growth in the LAPSSET corridor and Lamu County.
Coinciding with this, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has stationed a permanent representative in Nairobi as of January 2026 to oversee regional investments.
Manda Bay has been a strategic focal point since a 2020 Al-Shabaab attack on Camp Simba, which resulted in the deaths of three Americans and highlighted the need for improved base defenses.
This move signals a long-term US commitment to the region, countering influence from other global powers while reinforcing the US-Kenya security partnership.
By Anthony Solly
