In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…
- President William Ruto has canceled Adani Group’s deals for JKIA expansion and power transmission, citing credible evidence of corruption.
- Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi defended the agreements, stating no bribery allegations linked to the projects.
President William Ruto has ordered the Ministries of Transport and Energy to cancel ongoing agreements involving the Adani Group for infrastructure projects in the energy and aviation sectors.
This decision, announced during his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, stems from credible evidence presented by investigative agencies.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, President Ruto emphasized that the country could not proceed with the deals under the shadow of such substantial evidence.
His directive follows allegations that Gautam Adani, chair of the Indian conglomerate Adani Group, bribed Indian government officials with Ksh.30 billion to secure solar energy supply contracts.
“In the face of undisputed evidence or credible information on corruption, I will not hesitate to take action,” the president asserted.
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He instructed the ministries to cancel the Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreements for the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) expansion project and the KETRACO transmission line contract.
He also urged an immediate search for alternative partners to take over these critical infrastructure projects.
The Adani Group had proposed a Ksh.260 billion investment to renovate JKIA over 30 years and an additional Ksh.95 billion to enhance the country’s power transmission lines. However, these projects now face uncertainty following the president’s orders.
Interestingly, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi had earlier defended the Kenya-Adani partnership, asserting that due diligence had been conducted in compliance with the law.
Addressing the Parliamentary Energy Committee, Wandayi stated, “We had no knowledge of any adverse issues, and therefore, we proceeded based on rigorous due diligence.”
He dismissed the allegations of bribery, suggesting they were unrelated to the current projects.
The president’s move has sparked debate, with critics questioning the fate of the stalled infrastructure projects and supporters praising his stand against corruption.