Monday, August 5, 2024 - Sports Cabinet Secretary nominee Kipchumba Murkomen was forced to clarify on the alleged government move to sell the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Indian company Adani Holdings.
While appearing before the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments, Murkomen dismissed the claims, saying the government has not and will never sell the airport.
According to the former Transport minister, the government categorically entered a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with Adani for the repair works at the airport.
Murkomen noted he did not enter the deal with Adani in an individual capacity but on behalf of the government, further claiming the government had no intention of selling the airport to the Indian company.
“PPP is a very important concept of developing our airport, I want to be very clear to the people of Kenya, I have not and cannot enter into any PPP as a person and I have not in any way sold the airport,” Murkomen stated.
While insisting on the matter, Murkomen reiterated the need for public engagement in the PPP processes to avoid public uproar.
He revealed the private agreement with Adani was not the first one in the country, attributing the construction of the expressway to a similar agreement with a Chinese company.
"The president has said this publicly, the prime cabinet secretary has also touched on the issue. Members of the public need to be taken through the process of PPP," Murkomen told the lawmakers.
According to Murkomen, before Adani's approval, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) conducted a preliminary assessment of the company's viability before the agreement was reached.
"Once they do the preliminary assessment, the process now moves to the PPP committee in the treasury but that process has not reached that stage," Murkomen clarified.
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