By Kemboi Abel
A section of political leaders in Uasin Gishu County has criticized the government’s plan to hand over management of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to the Indian company Adani Group.
Led by the county’s Jubilee chairman, Francis Muya, the leaders have challenged President William Ruto to clarify the deal.
The president should tell Kenyans if it is true that they want to hand over JKIA to the said company for 30 years,” Muya told journalists in Eldoret.
According to the Jubilee party official who is also the Langas Member of the County Assembly (MCA), should the government go ahead and lease the airport to the Adani Group, it would paint the country in a bad light.
He further said it would be an embarrassment in the face of neighbouring nations for such a deal to be given the green light.
“Government assets such as roads and hospitals should not be owned by private individuals. Such a case would present a negative and embarrassing image to the country,” the MCA said.
Reports of the said deal between the government and the Adani Group have sparked an uproar amongst Kenyans and some political leaders.
It is claimed the government is seeking to enter a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that will enable Adani Group to renovate JKIA.
However, questions have been raised over the terms of the said PPP – which some claim is as good as selling off the airport.
President William Ruto is on record dismissing claims the government plans to sell the airport. However, he defended the planned deal.
“Let’s be honest Kenyans, the airport we have in Nairobi is made of canvas. This is a temporary structure we built almost 7 years ago. Ethiopia has a brand new airport. Rwanda is the same. It is the reason why we need to work with investors to have a new airport in Nairobi,” Ruto said.
I have seen many people saying William Ruto want to sell the airport (JKIA). Am I a madman? How do you sell a strategic national asset? You have to be insane. The airport is a strategic national asset. We want to work under the PPP Program to make the airport better,” he added.
