When former Prime Minister Raila Odinga decried the abrupt cancellation of the Adani-JKIA deal, his frustration echoed far beyond political circles. 

The proposed partnership would have ushered in a long-overdue expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, modernising Kenya’s most critical aviation gateway. 

But intense public backlash, political manoeuvring, and accusations of opacity torpedoed the deal at the eleventh hour. 

Some critics raised valid concerns. Others, perhaps driven more by rivalry than reason, fought the project tooth and nail. In the end, politics won – and progress lost. 

Today, that loss is felt acutely by every traveller passing through JKIA. Recently, I was so amazed while at our international airport checking in to fly to Addis Ababa. 

For over one hour, we had to stand at the international departure checking-in stand, awaiting the long queue to be cleared. 

There were very few seats to accommodate at least a sizeable number of domestic and international visitors or pilgrims.

In Addis Ababa, the seats were enough, with fresher, more aerated waiting terminals. Very good development. 

What Odinga was saying about congestion at JKIA is true, yet despite a surge in tourist arrivals, increased outbound pilgrimages, and Kenya’s strategic location as a continental hub, the airport remains painfully outdated.

Terminals are strained, queues are long, and passenger experiences are often underwhelming. It’s an infrastructure trying to support a demand it was never built for. 

Meanwhile, just a short flight north, a different story is unfolding in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia’s Bole International Airport, even while still under construction, is already a model of what forward-thinking infrastructure investment can look like. 

To that extent, I support the concerns of Odinga and other Kenyans, including the President, who had a soft spot for the Adani people, plus National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, until they were let down and overshadowed by critics of doom. 

Oh, Kenya, oh netizens, oh bloggers, oh opposition politicians doing blanket politics without considering the future of Kenya.

Do you really want Kenya to develop at the same rate as its continental peers, or should we watch others grow as we sink into the politics of expediency at the expense of development? 

Looking at Bole airport in Ethiopia, you are impressed by the aesthetics. Its sleek terminals, high-volume capacity, and state-of-the-art design stand in sharp contrast to JKIA.

Addis is rising – and it’s doing so with purpose, confidence, and vision. 

The expansion of Bole is not just a matter of concrete and glass. It reflects a national strategy that sees aviation as a cornerstone of economic growth. 

Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa’s most successful carriers, works in lockstep with the airport’s development. 

Ethiopian government support, foreign investment, and long-term planning have converged to create an airport that is fast becoming the envy of the continent. 

For Kenya, the difference is hard to ignore, and harder still to justify. 

Every time a traveller arrives at JKIA or departs, as fellow travellers confided to me on the flight, the question becomes harder to silence: Why is Kenya falling behind? When will politics stop hijacking progress? 

Kenya has no shortage of talent, ambition, or geographical advantage.

We have aeronautical engineers, pilots, focused leaders, a skilled labour force, etc. What Kenya lacks consistently is political consensus and the execution of good ideas to fruition. 

Development projects in Kenya too often become battlegrounds for partisan interests, rather than opportunities to elevate the country’s position on the global stage. 

If we are serious about reclaiming JKIA’s position as Africa’s premier aviation hub, then leadership must rise above short-term political gain. Build for us a new JKIA. 

The writer is a media consultant, senior writer at People Daily, and a commentator on governance and democracy