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Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka has said the county has allocated Ksh100 million towards the expansion of the Matulo Airstrip.

Speaking in Bungoma on Friday, June 14, 2024, Lusaka said the money would go towards the purchase of land which is currently occupied by residents living near the airstrip.

“In the budget, we have allocated Ksh100 million to buy land for the expansion of Matulo Airstrip as instructed by President Ruto,” Lusaka said on X.

This comes just two weeks after President William Ruto landed at the Matulo airstrip ahead of the Madaraka Day celebrations in the county and promised to upgrade it to international standards.

Expand Matulo Airstrip

“I ask Governor Lusaka to engage the residents with a view of acquiring enough land for the airstrip to extend the runway and have a new terminal so that it be upgraded to international standards to become economically viable,” Ruto said on June 1, 2024.

Ruto said his government would provide enough funds to complete the airstrip runway.

“There is no need for the people of Bungoma to go to Kisumu or Eldoret to access planes unless you have dates in those areas,” Ruto said.

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen who inspected the airstrip said the government would begin construction of the runway once the county finalised the process of acquiring more land for the expansion.

#Watch: We have allocated Ksh 100 Million towards the purchase of land for the expansion of Matulo Airstrip.#BungomaMbele pic.twitter.com/dfnI1kZ4Nt

— Rt Hon Kenneth Lusaka (@SpeakerKLusaka) June 14, 2024

Murkomen observed that the airstrip could revive the economy of Bungoma as it would serve the entire Western region, with potential additional traffic from Uganda due to the proximity to the border.

“We are working to get more land so that we can expand the runway to 2.5 kilometres so that we can have more traffic flying directly to the airstrip. We removed this airstrip from Bungoma town and we have relocated it to Webuye so that it can be expanded to serve the region and even Uganda,” Murkomen said.

The current runway at Matulo Airstrip is 1.1 kilometres.

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