Kenya is expanding the Lichota airstrip in western Migori County into a commercial aviation hub designed for up to 500,000 passengers a year. The project lengthens the runway to two kilometres and adds modern domestic and international terminals with Customs and Immigration facilities.
Details appeared in a statement posted on X by the official Kenya Vision 2030 account on Tuesday. The account linked the upgrade to improved connectivity in the Lake Region and the country’s long-term Vision 2030 development blueprint, which aims to make Kenya a competitive middle-income economy.
The new terminal will replace basic waiting areas and support larger commercial aircraft with higher flight frequencies. Officials say the changes will ease the movement of people, goods and services across the Kenya-Tanzania border.
Migori sits roughly 5–8 kilometres from the county town and about 25 kilometres from the Isebania/Sirari border post. The location offers a shorter transfer between Kenya’s Maasai Mara and Tanzania’s Serengeti, two of East Africa’s best-known wildlife destinations, plus the nearby Thim Lich Ohinga archaeological site.
Recent reports put the cost of the terminal and runway works at approximately Sh300 million (about US$2.3 million at current rates). Kenya Airports Authority officials have set a completion target of December 2026.
Passenger volumes are expected to rise sharply from current levels of around 22,000 a year. The airstrip now handles roughly a dozen flights daily, mainly charters and limited scheduled services.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has said the facility will feature separate domestic and international zones integrated with the longer runway. He highlighted gains in cross-border trade and tourism.
President William Ruto inspected the site earlier in 2026. Local leaders expect the upgrade to create jobs, attract airlines and reduce pressure on distant hubs while supporting trade in agricultural produce and fish.
The project forms part of wider efforts to modernise smaller Kenyan airstrips and strengthen East African connectivity. Officials argue that better air links will open new markets and bring economic activity closer to border communities.
