RUTO’S SH42BN BOMAS PROJECT RACES TO BEAT THE CLOCK
The Sh42 billion Bomas International Convention Centre project is racing to meet its revised December 2026 completion deadline after falling behind earlier targets, amid scrutiny over its cost, procurement and oversight.
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President William Ruto’s administration is facing mounting pressure over the construction of the Bomas International Convention Centre (BICC) in Nairobi, with the multibillion-shilling project still significantly behind its earlier completion targets.
The project, whose construction began in March 2025, was 38 per cent complete as of June 2026, according to official performance data cited in recent reporting. This was below the 100 per cent completion target that had been set for the 2025/26 financial year.
The facility is being constructed by China Road and Bridge Corporation under a contract valued at $324.09 million, equivalent to about Sh41.9 billion. The contract provides for a 24-month construction period.
The government initially expected the first phase of the convention centre to be ready by June 2026. However, construction delays have pushed the scheduled completion date to December 31, 2026.
Bomas of Kenya officials have previously attributed some of the delays to heavy rains during the early stages of construction, which disrupted excavation works and affected the initial timeline.
The BICC is being developed as a major conference and tourism facility designed to strengthen Nairobi’s position as a destination for international meetings, exhibitions and events.
The complex will include an 11,000-capacity convention centre, meeting rooms, a large auditorium, banquet facilities, a presidential pavilion, parking areas and cultural and heritage facilities.
The government has presented the project as a potential boost to the tourism, hospitality and events sectors, with expectations that the facility will attract international conferences and generate business and employment opportunities.
The project's financial and procurement arrangements have also come under scrutiny.
While the earlier contract value was about Sh41.9 billion, a recent report by The Standard puts the current project cost at approximately Sh45.1 billion, up from an initial estimate of Sh31.7 billion.
The Senate has demanded access to the project's contract, procurement records, financing agreements, payment records, work plans and progress reports.
Questions have also emerged over the division of responsibilities between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Defence. Although the Tourism Ministry owns the project and oversees its funding and progress, procurement and contracting responsibilities were delegated to the Defence Ministry.
The Auditor-General has separately raised concerns over the procurement process, including the approval of direct procurement after procurement proceedings had already begun. The audit also warned that delays in payments could expose the government to penalties and additional charges.
The project is now under increasing scrutiny as the government works against its revised completion deadline.
At the same time, disruption caused by construction has affected operations at Bomas of Kenya. Official data cited by Business Daily showed a sharp decline in visitor numbers during the year to June 2026.
With substantial construction work still remaining, attention is now focused on whether the contractor can complete the facility within the revised timeline and whether outstanding questions surrounding financing, procurement and project oversight will be resolved.
For the government, completing the Bomas complex is part of a broader effort to expand Kenya’s conference tourism infrastructure and position Nairobi as a regional hub for major international events.
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Written by Anne Moses
Reporter and staff writer at Getembe News.
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