Senators reject plan to shift Wilson Airport flight paths, demand demolition of high-rise buildings
The proposal has faced strong resistance from legislators, who argue that changing flight paths would amount to accommodating developments that violate.
A section of Wilson Airport. (Photo: Aerocruise)
Wilson Airport in Nairobi could have its flight paths changed to avoid more than 40 buildings in South C, Nairobi West and along Lang’ata Road that exceed aviation height limits, under a government proposal that has triggered a standoff with senators who want the structures demolished instead.
Aviation Principal Secretary Teresia Mbaika told the Senate Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing that the government is considering several options, including adjusting aircraft approach routes towards Nairobi National Park, as part of a broader master plan for Wilson Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
“We have had this discussion for a long time, and there is a Cabinet memo on the same. We must decide on a sector. One of the options is whether, for Wilson, we need to adjust the flight path towards Nairobi National Park,” Mbaika said.
More To Read
The proposal has faced strong resistance from legislators, who argue that changing flight paths would amount to accommodating developments that violate aviation safety regulations instead of enforcing the law.
Senators insisted that the government should demolish buildings that exceed approved height limits or lack clearance from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), warning that failure to act could compromise aviation safety at one of East Africa’s busiest domestic airports.
A 2024 aviation survey presented to the committee identified at least 41 developments within a six-kilometre radius of Wilson Airport that penetrate the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS), the protected airspace required for safe aircraft take-off and landing.
The affected areas include South C, Nairobi West and the Lang’ata Road corridor, where rapid urban development has produced residential apartments, commercial buildings and institutional structures encroaching into restricted airspace.
Among the listed properties are buildings linked to the Parliamentary Service Commission, the Local Authorities Provident Fund, and Nairobi West Hospital. Some structures reportedly exceed approved height limits by more than 20 metres.
KCAA acting Director General Nicholas Bodo told senators that many of the developments were approved by Nairobi County without consultation with aviation regulators, raising questions about coordination in land-use approvals.
“We are now looking to engage the county differently. The county government overlooked us and approved the developments,” Bodo said.
The authority warned that encroachment into protected airspace has reduced aircraft manoeuvrability during take-off and landing, increasing operational risks at Wilson Airport, which serves domestic flights, air ambulance services, pilot training and tourism operations.
The Kenya Airports Authority also raised a separate concern over disputed land near the airport and Nairobi National Park, warning that parts of the land along the Southern Bypass fall within the Runway End Safety Area and should not be developed.