DNK International By Our Reporter.
Construction has begun on a new 10,000 foot runway and modern airfield infrastructure investment project at Kenya Navy Base Manda Bay,marking a major advancement in the U.S.-Kenya strategic partnership.
Kenya Defense Forces, in partnership with the United States, conducted a groundbreaking ceremony at the site in northeast Kenya on January 29.
“This groundbreaking marks a significant step forward in our joint efforts with Kenya to counter Al Shabaab, ISIS, and other terrorist groups.By expanding this military base, we are strengthening our ability to stop terrorism at its source and reinforcing the close partnership between our two countries,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
The U.S. Department of State awarded a $71.3 million contract in July 2024 for the design and construction of the expanded airfield.
The new airfield nearly triples the length of the existing runway, which is more than three decades old and unable to handle larger aircraft required for military and humanitarian operations.
Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora affairs Musalia Mudavadi hailed the project as a critical investment in creating the security conditions required for longterm economic growth in the region.
“With reliable security the economy is going to grow, jobs will be created,” he said at the event.
The expanded runway is expected to be completed in mid-2027 and will support a broader range of aircraft, including those that support rapid response missions, logistics, and joint operations against piracy, terrorism, and other threats to
regional stability. U.S. AFRICOM commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson said the investment depicts the United States dedication to support its partnership with Kenya.
“Kenya is a key partner for peace and security in East Africa and this infrastructure directly strengthens how our militaries work together while building Kenya’s ability to counter threats, like Al Shabaab,” Anderson said, adding that “the
expanded airfield will better protect our people and our assets, and it gives both our nations a stronger platform to deter, disrupt, and defeat terrorist organizations.”
The United States designated Kenya Major Non-NATO Ally in 2024, but Anderson said “the security partnership has been built over many years around shared interests, challenges, and commitment to regional stability.” Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Defense, Soipan Tuya, described the project as a “decisive force multiplier,” that will be vital in countering transnational threats that destabilize the region.
“This infrastructure is essential to ensuring readiness,” Tuya told the audience of military and government officials at the groundbreaking, adding, “This undertaking is of great strategic significance in advancing peace and security in our region and
beyond.” Deputy Secretary Landau attended the groundbreaking as part of his three-day visit to Kenya to promote stronger economic and security ties.
He started his visit by laying a wreath at a memorial to honor the Kenyans and Americans killed by an Al Qaeda attack on the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi on August 7, 1998. Hours after paying tribute to the victims of the attack, Deputy Secretary Landau and Prime Cabinet Secretary Mudavadi broke ground on the expanded runway.
“The United States stands side by side with Kenya,” Landau said. “What this outpost represents is a very tangible commitment to our common defense. We must show those who would attack us that we are resolved to defend ourselves.”
[DNK-International@January 30,2026]
