Why plan to lease JKIA was not advertised - Transport CS Chirchir

Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has revealed why the government did not publicly announce its search for an investor to develop Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

During an interview on Citizen TV on Thursday night, CS Chirchir clarified that it is not required to advertise privately initiated proposals.

He explained that individuals or organisations can identify a need within the government and submit their proposals directly.

"For privately initiated proposals you don't advertise, I can look for an opportunity based on where I think the government needs support and privately initiate a proposal. That proposal then goes through the due process, and if the government deems it fit and it goes through the due approval process in 20 stages, then it becomes a project," Chirchir stated.

This comes despite a statement in June 2023 by Chirchir's predecessor, Kipchumba Murkomen, who had indicated that the State would soon advertise a request for expressions of interest for the project under a Privately Initiated Proposal (PIP) model.

Still in the interview, the Transport CS also addressed concerns about the timing of the Adani Group's proposal.

The Indian conglomerate submitted its plan in March 2024, yet the Cabinet only approved the lease plan for JKIA on June 11, 2024.

Passengers stranded at the JKIA Terminal 2 on September 11, 2024. The airport is at a standstill with zero flights departing following aviation workers' strike over the Adani deal. (Photo: Mary Wambui)

"It's not a secret that we've been seeking to build an airport in Kenya for a long time. Yes, we've been trying to do it under the government fiscal headroom, but for a USD 2 billion investment, and the kind of debt that is sitting on government balance sheet today, we're unable to accommodate those kinds of projects," Chirchir explained.

Unsuccessful attempts

He added that previous attempts to build an airport have been unsuccessful, despite efforts to initiate a greenfield project as early as 2012/2013.

Currently, the proposal from Adani Group is in the 13th stage of the 20-stage approval process required for final approval.

On Wednesday, hundreds of passengers were left stranded for hours at Kenya's main airport after workers went on strike over a planned takeover by the Indian company.

The strike also affected the main airports at Kisumu, Mombasa and Eldoret.

However, the High Court has since issued a stay prohibiting any person from implementing or acting on the privately initiated Adani proposal over JKIA pending the conclusion of the case.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) moved to court to block the controversial takeover of JKIA by India's Adani Enterprises.

Adani Enterprises Limited submitted a proposal on March 1, 2024, to take over the running and management of JKIA.

In June, the government approved the relevant aviation policies, giving Adani a head start on the planned expansion of JKIA.

The privatisation deal, which would grant Adani control of the airport for 30 years, ignited widespread public outrage over its secrecy and potential consequences.

Adani has pledged a Sh238 billion investment to "upgrade and expand" the airport.