Gov't says Adani-JKIA deal is done and dusted, no reverse gear

The government has firmly defended the controversial Jomo Kenyatta International Airport-Adani Holdings lease deal.

It has maintained that Kenyans have more to gain from the said deal once operationalised.

"There is no actual sell out out of the JKIA as it is being bandied about. What is taking place is just a temporary leasing out which would help advance the goal of modernising the facility," said National Assembly Chief Whip Sylvanus Osoro.

Under the 30-year lease term, Adani Holding is set to use their funds to undertake fresh expansion of premier airport.

"He (Gautam Adani) will do new run-aways and new hospitality outlets which the country at the moment cannot do because of cashflow problems," explained Mr Osoro who is also the South Mugirango MP.

The tide of opposition to the deal would only make the country lose out the more, he told journalists.

Ethiopia and Rwanda have already engaged similar deals and are now are ahead. Look at Ethiopia, it is almost taking the International Certification from us because of such a deal," the MP said.

The lease, he added, was all about generating cash for development which the country does not have currently.

"This is only a funding deal because we do not have our own cash to undertake the proper modernisation of the facility.

“Adani is not going anywhere with the airport. It is only a temporary lease. If we reject him, it will force us to scout for a similar deal from someone else,” Mr Osoro told journalists during a special interview in his constituency on Friday night.

The contested takeover allows the holding to operate, maintain, develop, design, construct, upgrade, modernise and manage the airport. .

Already the move has sparked tension among the JKA staff with protests causing delays in international travelers.

The South Mugirango MP said the 'lease deal' was clean adding that no staff is to be sacked.

He sad the deal only forms a strong basis for a new 'government and private partinership development model engagement'.

“It is like way former president Uhuru Kenyatta inked deals for the construction of the Nairobi Expressway. We can only grow through privatisation. Essentially, someone who has put his money somewhere would not want a lose. In turn this will help us fight graft in our national projects,” Mr Osoro said.

He said proper public participation has already been done adding that there was no reverse gear in the project.

“There is no scale or percentage of what it means proper public participation is on this or improper public participation is. It is all about informing and getting to hear people's views. What is happening at JKIA is part of public participation. The debates that we are seeing are in the media are part of the exercise,” the vocal Kenya Kwanza legislator said.