President William Ruto has ordered the cancellation of two major infrastructure deals involving the Adani Group, including the proposed upgrade of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and the construction of power lines under Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO).
In his State of the Nation address, delivered this afternoon, Ruto stated that the decision was based on credible evidence provided by relevant agencies.
He emphasized that the ongoing deals with the Adani Group could not continue in light of the substantial evidence against the company.
The move follows corruption charges in the United States against Gautam Adani, the chairman of the Indian conglomerate, who is accused of paying Sh30 billion in bribes to Indian officials to secure solar energy contracts.
“In the face of irrefutable evidence and credible information regarding corruption, I will not hesitate to take action,” Ruto said. “Based on new information from our investigative agencies and international partners, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Energy are directed to immediately cancel the ongoing deals for the JKIA PPP project and the KETRACO power line contracts.”
The Adani Group was set to invest Sh238 billion in upgrading and expanding JKIA, with plans to operate the airport for 30 years before handing it back to the government.
The deal also included managing the construction and operation of transmission lines and substations for KETRACO, with the assets to be transferred to the Kenyan government after 30 years in good condition.
The KETRACO project included the development of a 400-kilovolt transmission line from Gilgil through Thika and Malaa to Konza, spanning 208.73 kilometers, as well as new substations in Gilgil, Thika, and Malaa.
Additionally, a 220-kilovolt line was to be built from Rongai to Keringet and Chemosit, covering 99.98 kilometers, with new substations at each of the three locations.
