New Bomas conference facility to be ready by May — Ruto

Ongoing construction at Bomas International Convention Centre is designed to host 11, 000 people/COURTESY

A new state-of-the-art conference facility known as theBomas International Convention Complex (BICC), under construction at Bomas of Kenya, will be completed by May this year, President William Ruto has announced.

Speaking at the Magical Kenya Open at the Karen Country Club, the President said the modern complex is designed to replace the 50-year-old Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) as Kenya’s premier venue for high-level conferences and international events.

“You know, we are building something in the Bomas of Kenya. We are building the most modern conference facility in eastern central Africa, and it will be ready by May this year,” Ruto said.

He explained that the project is part of a broader strategy to position Kenya as a leading destination for conference tourism, noting that the country requires a modern facility to match growing demand.

“Kenya is a tourist destination, and we want to promote our conference tourism. We need a proper, modern conference facility to replace our 50-year-old KICC so that we can drive this forward,” he said.

In addition to the new facility, he disclosed that the government plans to dual the road connecting Bomas of Kenya to Karen to ease access for visitors and delegates.

“The road between Bomas of Kenya and Karen, we are going to be dualing it this year so that people who want to come here can find it easy to get to this sports facility,” Ruto added.

The BICC project will be a leading conference and business tourism hub in East and Central Africa. It is designed to host up to 11,000 delegates. The facility will more than triple the capacity of the existing Bomas amphitheatre, which currently accommodates 3,400 people.

Key features of the BICC include a presidential pavilion capable of hosting 30 heads of state, modern meeting halls, advanced audio-visual technology, and world-class architectural and design elements.

The complex is intended to meet international standards, enabling Kenya to host high-level summits, regional conferences, global exhibitions, and association meetings.

Construction of the BICC began under a government-led initiative to enhance Kenya’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector.

As of January 2026, the project was reported to be approximately 40 per cent complete, with works ongoing around the clock.

The government has prioritised speed and efficiency to ensure the complex begins operations by May 2026. Already, several major events, including the Africa-France Summit, have been scheduled at the facility.

The facility forms a central component of President Ruto’s strategy to leverage Kenya’s cultural and natural assets alongside modern infrastructure to elevate Nairobi’s global profile in business tourism.