Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has raised serious concerns about the unusually rapid processing of a proposal from India’s Adani Group to take over operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
While addressing the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee, Mbadi questioned why the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) granted immediate clearance for the proposal submitted on March 1, approving it the same day. This swift turnaround has sparked suspicions of potential behind-the-scenes dealings.
“Adani submitted their proposal on March 1, and by the end of that day, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) had already cleared it. That level of high efficiency is unusual in such processes,” Mbadi remarked.
He expressed doubts about the legitimacy of this quick approval, raising concerns about whether the necessary due diligence was performed.
“Moving that fast is unprecedented. It raises red flags. I even asked my team about it. How can something of this magnitude be cleared in a matter of hours? It doesn’t sit right with me,” he added.
The proposed deal, which involves Kes.260 billion in investments from Adani to expand JKIA, has encountered significant opposition from various groups.
One of the most alarming points raised during Mbadi’s testimony was the extent of control that Adani seeks. CS Mbadi revealed that the Indian conglomerate aims to obtain extensive powers over JKIA, which could effectively monopolize the country’s aviation sector.
Additionally, Adani reportedly seeks sole control of the airport for 30 years and demands the right to retain an 18 percent stake indefinitely, even after the concession expires.
