Kenya's presidential aircraft, Harambee One, has completed an extensive year-long maintenance programme in the Netherlands and returned to service with upgraded interior and aircraft systems.
The Kenya Air Force's Fokker 70, registration KAF308, underwent the work at Fokker Services Group, the Dutch aviation company responsible for the overhaul. The aircraft serves as Kenya's official presidential jet.
Fokker Services Group said the programme included deep maintenance, interior and systems upgrades. The aircraft was also fitted with a new satellite communications system supplied by Gogo Business Aviation.
The technology upgrade centres on the Gogo Galileo FDX inflight connectivity system, which is powered by Eutelsat OneWeb's low-Earth-orbit satellite network.
The system uses a full-duplex electronically steered antenna to provide connectivity while the aircraft is airborne. According to the specifications cited by Fokker Services Group, it can deliver download speeds of up to 195 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 32 Mbps.
The new connectivity capability comes alongside the broader maintenance and refurbishment work carried out during the aircraft's extended hangar visit.
Fokker Services Group described KAF308 as one of the last Fokker 70 aircraft built and delivered. The company also praised the Kenya Air Force for maintaining the aircraft throughout its more than three decades of service.
Harambee One was acquired by Kenya in 1995 and is operated by the Kenya Air Force. The Fokker 70 is now more than 30 years old, although the aircraft's age alone does not determine whether it remains airworthy.
Its continued operation depends on factors including structural condition, maintenance history, flight cycles and compliance with approved inspection and life-extension requirements.
The aircraft had been undergoing maintenance in the Netherlands since August 2025, meaning Kenya's dedicated presidential aircraft was unavailable for much of the past year.
Following completion of the work, KAF308 returned to Kenya and resumed flights. Flight-tracking data cited by Capital FM showed the aircraft operating domestic sectors between Nairobi, Eldoret, Mombasa and Malindi this week.
The recent flights, however, have been conducted under the FLOKI100 designation rather than the Kenya 001 call sign associated with presidential operations.
KAF308 had not yet been identified on a presidential mission since returning to Kenya at the time of the report.
The overhaul comes as Kenya's ageing presidential aircraft continues to operate more than three decades after entering service. The latest work has therefore focused on maintaining the existing aircraft while upgrading selected systems and its passenger environment.
The new satellite connectivity system provides Harambee One with a modern communications capability in flight, while the completed maintenance programme addresses the aircraft's wider interior and systems requirements.
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