'Was Disappointed When Adani Nairobi Airport Deal Was Cancelled': Ex Kenya PM
Speaking during the Third National Executive Retreat, also attended by Kenyan President William Ruto, in Nairobi's suburb of Karen on Friday, Mr Odinga, who is a leader of the Orange Democractic Movement (ODM), said the first expansion contract for JKIA was awarded while he was the prime minister, but was cancelled after the coalition government led by him left office. The same contractor was given the contract again, but it was cancelled a second time.
"We had awarded the Greenfield airport contract before we left government with Mwai Kibaki in 2012. That contract was cancelled, then it was given to the same contractor but then again cancelled because of disagreements. When we brought in Adani, they (referring to his political opponents) brought politics and the contract was cancelled," Mr Odinga said.
"I was very disappointed when we were not able to move on with the airport contract, that was very unfortunate," he added.
Pointing out that Kenya is fortunate to be strategically located and could become a big hub, Mr Odinga said Nairobi could become dormant if the expansion is not done.
"Look at Addis Ababa, it's growing and now they are putting up a new big airport. So Addis Ababa will be the new hub around. Ethiopian Airlines is now the dominant airline on the continent. Kenya Airways can do the same. Kenya Airways can be the carrier on the continent, but we are not doing it, we need to find a way. Look at Emirates, people there do not look at the airline for profits, it is basically a vehicle bringing investors, shoppers and tourists to the Emirates," he said.
Reiterating his point and warning that Nairobi was missing out on an opportunity, he added, "Put up a big airport in Nairobi. If you don't do it, Rwanda is going to do it and Kigali will become the hub around here. You can do it in Nairobi and it will become the Dubai of Africa."
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Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
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CITES was one of the first international agreements that sought to tackle it. But this is a crime with roots that run so deep, and stakes so high, that it took 10 drafts before enough countries would sign on. Leading the movement to pass the treaty and expand its scope was one man: the evolutionary biologist Julian Huxley, who made international conservation efforts part of his mission as head of Unesco; and then set about creating the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, founded in 1948), whose Red List still shapes efforts around the world; and CITES. (Read the story alongside for more on his remarkable efforts in this field). The convention was proposed in 1963, formally ratified in 1973, and came into force in July 1975 (four months after Huxley's death). Eighty countries signed on back then; there are 185 parties to the convention today. 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Time of India
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Hindustan Times
12-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
US offers $5 million reward for arrest of Haitian gang leader
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