Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has called for the relocation of Eastleigh Airbase, warning that surrounding residential settlements could expose thousands of civilians to danger during a military attack.
Speaking during a Roads and Construction Committee appearance on Tuesday, October 13, he argued that the airbase was established when the surrounding area had fewer settlements, but rapid urbanisation has brought homes and businesses closer to the military facility.
“On the Eastleigh Airbase, if you ask me, it needs to be relocated, because when it was set up, we didn't have the kind of human settlement around it,” Sakaja stated.
He noted that the growing population around the base had created a difficult situation, with civilians living dangerously close to critical military infrastructure.
Aerial image of Eastleigh/Moi Air Base.
Photo
Standard Digital
The governor said the presence of densely populated neighbourhoods around the facility raised concerns about protecting residents if the country faced a security threat.
“With the high population around the military base, in the event of an attack, it means that the people surrounding the base could be used as a military shield,” he added.
Sakaja explained that military installations are among the targets an attacker would consider, alongside communication infrastructure and the country's seat of power.
He, however, acknowledged that his proposal might not be welcomed by the military, but maintained that the government needed to reconsider the facility's location.
On June 8, 2024, President William Ruto addressed concerns over developments near Eastleigh's Moi Air Base during the Kenya Air Force's 60th-anniversary celebrations.
He directed developers constructing buildings near the military installation to comply with height restrictions established to protect the base and maintain safe operations.
Part of his administration’s initiative includes a military housing program involving 3,069 units across Roysambu, Kwambuzi, Lanet, Gilgil and Mariakani, before launching over 10,000 additional units nationwide, all forming the first phase.
Ruto also directed the military to surrender 70 acres of land in Nairobi for affordable housing to provide alternative homes for residents of the congested Kiambiu informal settlement.
An undated image of President William Ruto inspecting a guard of honor at the Moi Air Base.
Photo
KDF