Kenya to Retire Fokker 70 Presidential Jet 'Harambee One' in 2026 After 30 Years of Service

Kenya plans to retire its 30-year-old Fokker 70 presidential jet 'Harambee One,' registered KAF308, in 2026 after repeated mechanical issues.

Original report
x.com

Industry impact

The retirement highlights the operational risks aging VIP fleets pose to government operators, pushing state clients toward chartered large-cabin jets pending replacement aircraft.

Kenya is set to retire its sole presidential aircraft, a Fokker 70 registered KAF308 and known as 'Harambee One,' in 2026 following repeated mechanical issues and safety concerns. The 30-year-old aircraft, carrying manufacturer serial number MSN 11557, has served four Kenyan presidents: Daniel Arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta, and William Ruto.

The jet recently returned to Kenya after a year-long maintenance program at Fokker Techniek in Woensdrecht, the Netherlands, where it received an upgraded interior, broader systems improvements, and new satellite communications capability. Cabinet Secretary for Defence Soipan Tuya confirmed the aircraft was sent to Woensdrecht on August 22 for what was described as a final maintenance cycle, after which it is expected to remain in limited service before being permanently phased out. Flight-tracking data shows KAF308 has since flown domestic routes between Nairobi, Eldoret, Mombasa, and Malindi under the FLOKI100 designation rather than the Kenya 001 call sign used for presidential missions.

The aircraft's most recent significant failure occurred in February 2025 at a joint East African Community and Southern African Development Community summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where it was grounded due to technical problems, prompting the Kenya Air Force to send a DHC-8-100 to bring President Ruto back to Nairobi. Ruto has since relied on alternative transport including Kenya Air Force aircraft, [Kenya Airways](/entities/14bcf4f619065e8ab49397d6c9149c46) commercial flights, and chartered jets, such as a Gulfstream GV registered T7-VVV operated by Skymark Executive for a September 2025 trip to Ethiopia, and a Boeing 737-700 from RoyalJet of Abu Dhabi during a 2024 state visit to the United States. Tuya has said a replacement presidential jet could be acquired within two years, subject to budget availability. The Fokker 70 ER was selected in 1995 under President Moi for its roughly 3,400-kilometre range and short-runway capability, arriving at Moi Air Base on December 20, 1995, configured for about 26 passengers; it is one of only 47 Fokker 70s built before production ended in 1997.