US launches Sh9 billion expansion of Lamu military base 

Kenya and United States on January 29 conducted a ground-breaking ceremony for a 10,000-foot Runway Expansion Project at Kenya Navy Manda Base, Manda Bay, Lamu County aimed at boosting operations in the region.

Officials said the move will deepen security ties between US and Kenya in a strategically vital region.

The ceremony was presided over by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Thomas Landau.

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Honourable Musalia Mudavadi alongside the Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Roselinda Soipan Tuya and other senior military officials.

Landau commended the Government of Kenya for the partnership, describing the project as a tangible demonstration of the enduring bilateral relationship. He noted that the expanded runway capability will strengthen security cooperation, enhance joint operational reach and support sustained economic growth.

He told the contractors to ensure they complete the project in the set schedule of 18 months.

“I hope I will come here next month to witness the launch of this facility,” he said.

The infrastructure project is estimated to cost about $70 million (Sh9 billion), officials said.

Mudavadi underscored the strategic and symbolic strength of the Kenya–United States partnership, stating that the runway expansion is a critical investment anchored on security, reliability and long-term stability.

He noted that the runway expansion project will stimulate economic growth in Lamu County and nationally, improve livelihoods and enhance the prospects of the LAPSSET Corridor, positioning the region as a key hub for trade and development.

Tuya, stated that the Kenya Navy Base Manda Bay One-Way Runway Expansion Project is a decisive force multiplier for Kenya–United States defence cooperation. She emphasised that the expanded runway will significantly strengthen regional peace and security by enhancing rapid response, surveillance, and joint operational capability against piracy, human trafficking, and threats to maritime trade, underscoring the two nations’ firm and enduring commitment to regional stability.

Manda Bay, a Kenya Defence Forces site that also hosts US troops, has long served as a forward operating location for operations targeting extremist groups in Somalia and the wider region. It has also been the target of militant attacks.

According to US officials, the runway expansion will bolster joint operational readiness and improve logistics by enabling larger aircraft to operate from the coastal outpost, which sits near key Indian Ocean maritime routes.

The runway expansion is a pivotal strategic capability upgrade that significantly enhances operational reach, heavy airlift capacity, and forward logistical sustainment for joint and partner military operations.

It strengthens rapid force projection, persistent operational presence, and time-sensitive response across the theatre.

The project directly reinforces readiness, interoperability, and sustained operational effectiveness across peacetime, crisis, and contingency operations.

Collectively, these gains consolidate Kenya–United States defence integration and establish a credible, enduring security posture in support of regional peace, security, and stability.

Also present during the ceremony were the Commander, United States Africa Command, General Dagvin Anderson, Major General Benard Waliaula (Commander Kenya Air Force,, Major General Paul Otieno, (Commander Kenya Navy), Brigadier Lazarus Wafula, (Base Commander Manda Bay).

Landau was on his first trip to Kenya.