Treasury CS JOHN MBADI also suspects Kenyans are being played in the controversial Adani-JKIA takeover deal as he turns heat on Gov’t officials – Look!

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 - Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has also suspected foul play in the whole Adani deal to take over the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Speaking when he appeared before the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee, Mbadi raised sharp concerns over the unprecedented speed at which the proposal by Adani to take over operations at JKIA was processed.

He questioned why the proposal, which was submitted on March 1, received immediate clearance from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) the very same day.

This rapid turnaround has fuelled suspicions of behind-the-scenes dealings.

Mbadi noted that while efficiency is important, the speed of this clearance seemed excessive, casting doubts on the thoroughness of the review.

"Adani submitted their proposal on the 1st of March, and by the end of that day, KAA had already cleared it. That kind of high-level efficiency is unusual in such processes," remarked Mbadi.

“Moving that fast is unprecedented. It raises red flags. I even asked my team about it. How can something of this magnitude be cleared in a matter of hours? It doesn't sit right with me,” he added.

He expressed doubts about the legitimacy of this rapid approval, raising questions about whether the required diligence was performed.

Aspects of the deal that could see the country's largest airport in the hands of the Indian firm for three decades have been read with suspicion.

The government over the last two months has been on overdrive to clarify the plans surrounding the deal, but Kenyans led by legislators remain unmoved.

The Kenyan DAILY POST