Ticking time bomb: Wilson Airport in jeopardy as high-rise flats crowd flight paths

On the southern edge of Kenya’s capital, what was once a routine ballet of take-offs and landings at Wilson Airport has become a high-stakes exercise in precision and nerve.

Here, the whine of propellers and the heavy scent of aviation fuel mix with the constant rumble of bulldozers and concrete mixers. A forest of high-rise towers is sprouting in the airport’s flight paths—especially in the crowded neighbourhoods of South C and the rapidly growing Bomas complex.

/* Container styling */

.fade-out-overlay {
position: absolute;
top: -80px;
left: 0;
width: 100%;
height: 60px;
z-index: 1;
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0), rgba(255, 255, 255, 1));
}
.paywall-container {
position: relative;
max-width: 100%;
margin: 0 auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
background-color: #ffffff;
}
.paywall-container h2{
text-align: center;
display:none;
}
.paywall-container a{
text-decoration:none !important;
}
/* Header styling */
.paywall-header {
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: bold;
margin-bottom: 15px;
color: #333333;
text-align:center;
}

/* Price highlight */
.price-highlight {
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #d40511; /* Red color similar to MailOnline */
margin: 15px 0;
text-align:center;
}

.price-highlight .original-price {
text-decoration: line-through;
color: #777777;
margin-right: 0px;
}

/* Divider line */
.divider {
border-top: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
margin: 20px 0;
}

/* Subscribe button */
.subscribe-button {
display: block;
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
background-color: #d40511;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 25px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
margin-bottom: 20px;
transition: background-color 0.3s;
text-decoration:none;
}
.subscribe-button-green{
display: block;
width: 100%;
padding: 12px;
background-color: #008000;
color: white;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 25px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
margin-bottom: 20px;
transition: background-color 0.3s;
text-decoration:none;
}

.subscribe-button:hover {
background-color: #b0030e;
text-decoration:none;
}

/* Features list */
.features-list {
margin: 20px 0;
padding-left: 20px;
list-style: none;
}

.features-list li {
margin-bottom: 10px;
list-style-type: none;
position: relative;
padding-left: 25px;
list-style-type:none !important;
}

.features-list li:before {
content: “✓”;
color: #d40511;
position: absolute;
left: 0;
font-weight: bold;
}

/* Existing subscriber link */
.existing-subscriber {
text-align: center;
color: #555555;
font-size: 14px;
}

.existing-subscriber a {
color: #d40511;
text-decoration: none;
}

.existing-subscriber a:hover {
text-decoration: underline;
}

Uncover the stories others won’t tell. Subscribe now for exclusive access

Subscribe Today & Save!

Unlock Now

Unlimited access to all premium content
Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience
Mobile-optimized reading experience
Weekly Newsletters
MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted

Already a subscriber? Log in

Follow the The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp

On the southern edge of Kenya’s capital, what was once a routine ballet of take-offs and landings at Wilson Airport has become a high-stakes exercise in precision and nerve.

Follow the The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp