Government moves to acquire private land in Wajir for proposed air base

Government moves to acquire private land in Wajir for proposed air base - The National Land Commission (NLC) has been directed to undertake a comprehensive social impact assessment within 90 days over the planned acquisition of more than 4,000 hectares of community land in Samburu.

The commission said the targeted property had been identified for the proposed military air base, setting in motion the legal process required to take over the land.

The government has started the process of acquiring private land in Wajir County for the proposed Wajir Air Base.

In a Gazette notice dated October 28, 2026, the National Land Commission (NLC) announced its intention to compulsorily acquire a 0.8401-hectare parcel registered under Wajir Township Block 2/1424 and owned by Elyas Sheikh Abdinoor.

The acquisition will be undertaken on behalf of the Ministry of Defence under Section 110 of the Land Act, which provides for the compulsory acquisition of private land for public purposes.

The commission said the targeted property had been identified for the proposed military air base, setting in motion the legal process required to take over the land.

“Notice is given that the National Land Commission intends to acquire parcels of land shown in the schedule hereunder on behalf of Ministry of Defence in accordance with section 110 of the Land Act for Proposed Wajir Air Base Land Acquisition: Title Deed Number Wajir Township Block 2/1424 in Wajir County,” reads the notice.

NLC has now invited interested persons to inspect the plans showing the affected parcel at its offices at Ardhi House, 3rd Floor, Room 305, along 1st Ngong Avenue in Nairobi, and at the County Coordinator’s offices in Narok County.

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The commission noted that a notice of the inquiry into the acquisition would be published in the Kenya Gazette in accordance with Section 112 of the Land Act.

The proposed Wajir Air Base comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s existing military aviation facilities operated by the Kenya Air Force (KAF).

Currently, the country has two main dedicated military airbases, namely Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi, and Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, alongside an active network of Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and specialised military airfields.

Moi Air Base serves as the Kenya Air Force headquarters and is the country’s oldest operational military airbase.

Laikipia Air Base, on the other hand, serves as the country’s main tactical fighter base. It has the longest runway and houses the Kenya Air Force’s main fleet of interceptor jets and fighter aircraft.

The proposed facility in Wajir would add to the country’s existing military aviation infrastructure as the government moves ahead with the land acquisition process.