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Business Standard
20-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Kenya's ex-PM disappointed Adani deal for JKI airport expansion failed
Kenya's former prime minister Raila Odinga has said that he was disappointed when the Adani deal to expand and manage the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) collapsed, according to a media report on Friday. Odinga, while speaking on the second day of the National Executive Retreat in Karen in Nairobi, also said that the deal was politicised, resulting in its cancellation, The Star newspaper reported. "I was very disappointed when we were not able to move on with the airport contract that was very unfortunate, he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) said should the deal have proceeded, it would have elevated Nairobi into a regional economic hub. He said that the first expansion contract for JKIA was awarded during his tenure as the Prime Minister but was later on cancelled after the grand coalition government left office. 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 got to Adani, they (the political rivals) brought politics and the contract was cancelled," he said. If that is not done, Nairobi will just become dormant. Look at Addis Ababa, they are going and now putting up a new big airport and it's going to be the hub around, he added. Under the proposed airport deal worth nearly $2 billion, the conglomerate was to add a second runway at JKIA and upgrade the passenger terminal. It was also to operate it on a 30-year lease.
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Business Standard
20-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Kenya's ex-PM disappointed as Adani deal for JKI airport expansion fails
Kenya's former prime minister Raila Odinga has said that he was disappointed when the Adani deal to expand and manage the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) collapsed, according to a media report on Friday. Odinga, while speaking on the second day of the National Executive Retreat in Karen in Nairobi, also said that the deal was politicised, resulting in its cancellation, The Star newspaper reported. "I was very disappointed when we were not able to move on with the airport contract that was very unfortunate, he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) said should the deal have proceeded, it would have elevated Nairobi into a regional economic hub. He said that the first expansion contract for JKIA was awarded during his tenure as the Prime Minister but was later on cancelled after the grand coalition government left office. 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 got to Adani, they (the political rivals) brought politics and the contract was cancelled," he said. If that is not done, Nairobi will just become dormant. Look at Addis Ababa, they are going and now putting up a new big airport and it's going to be the hub around, he added. Under the proposed airport deal worth nearly $2 billion, the conglomerate was to add a second runway at JKIA and upgrade the passenger terminal. It was also to operate it on a 30-year lease. Odinga said if the airport construction is done, it has the potential to become Africa's top airline.
Hans India
20-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Disappointed when Adani airport deal cancelled, they're credible partner: Kenya's Odinga
Nairobi: Kenya's former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Friday said he was disappointed when the Adani Group deal to expand and manage Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) got cancelled. On the second day of the National Executive Retreat in Karen here, Odinga said that should the deal have proceeded, it would have elevated Nairobi into a regional economic hub, as per local media. "I was very disappointed when we were not able to move on with the airport contract that was very unfortunate,' the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader was quoted as saying in the Nairobi Leo publication. Citing political manoeuvring as the key reason for the deal's collapse, he said: "Kenya is very strategically located. I was very disappointed when we were not able to move on with the airport contract... If that is not done, Nairobi will become dormant." Before the cancellation of the deal, Odinga was among the leaders who defended the Adani Group. Kenyan President William Ruto ordered the cancellation of the Adani-JKIA expansion deal as well as the Adani-Ketraco deal, while issuing the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on November 21, 2024. Odinga said that the country lost a strategic opportunity after the deal fell through, adding that Adani's capabilities surpass those of other firms in East Africa. "Adani is a credible partner. They have proven their capabilities in projects that surpass what we have seen in East Africa," he said. The Adani Group has been interested in investing in Kenya since 2010, but this interest was hindered by the lack of a proper legal framework for public-private partnerships (PPPs) at the time. "I want to say that there needs to be transparency when dealing with such issues; otherwise, we risk condemning very reputable companies… Do not condemn innocent companies that are engaged in legitimate commercial transactions," the Kenyan leader was quoted as saying.
