The Kenyan government is racing against time to complete the Sh42 billion Bomas International Convention Centre, with new disclosures showing the complex was 38 percent complete as of June 2026. The construction, which began on March 1, 2025, is now scheduled to run until December 31, 2026. The first phase, centred on the main convention facility, was expected to be ready for use by June 2026, but official performance data shows the project was less than half complete by that time.
The delay has disrupted operations at the Bomas of Kenya as the institution struggles to attract visitors. The State Department for Tourism says in its draft Medium-Term Expenditure Framework report that construction was "significantly contributing to the disruption of planned activities at the institution during the period". The weak performance is reflected in visitor numbers, with Bomas recording 1,158 resident visitors in the year to June 2026 against a target of 94,147.
Bomas of Kenya acting Chief Executive Jimmy Okidiang attributed part of the delay to heavy rains that disrupted excavation works during the project's early stages. "We have had a lot of rain that interfered with the ongoing activities," Mr Okidiang said in May. The rains affected the excavation works of the centre and, as such, derailed the timeline.
The Tourism Fund chairperson, Samson Some, had earlier assured that the first phase, with a 10,000-person capacity, "is expected to be completed by June". He described the centre as a public-private partnership intended to position Kenya as a premier meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions destination. The centre would have "a multiplier effect on Kenya's tourism economy," benefiting events, nightlife, hospitality and entertainment across Nairobi and beyond.
President William Ruto also said in June that the project was "now nearing completion" and would elevate Nairobi's status as a preferred destination for regional and international meetings. However, the 38 percent completion rate recorded for the financial year ending June 2026 shows that the project still had substantial construction work remaining at the time of the President's remarks.
China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) is building the complex under a contract worth $324.09 million (about Sh42 billion). The State committed to pay the contractor an initial 10 percent advance, equivalent to about Sh4.19 billion, with the balance to be paid in phases. Funding has emerged as another pressure point, with Bomas receiving Sh1.5 billion against a Sh4.6 billion Bomas International Convention and Exhibition Centre (BICEC) grant target during the 2025/26 financial year.
The Auditor-General, Nancy Gathungu, had raised concerns about project financing and implementation after reviewing the Ministry of Defence's handling of the contract. The Auditor-General warned that "the Government is likely to incur penalties and charges where there is delay in making payments". The project faces questions over financing and implementation, with a Sh3.1 billion gap between the targeted and actual disbursement representing about one-third of the planned funding for the year.
Key points
- The Bomas International Convention Centre is 38 percent complete, behind schedule.
- The delay has disrupted operations at the Bomas of Kenya, with visitor numbers significantly lower than targets.
- Funding has emerged as a pressure point, with a Sh3.1 billion gap between targeted and actual disbursement.
