Despite Contrary Evidence, Kenya’s President Ruto Denies $2.5bn Airport Deal With Adani Group

Kenyan President William Ruto on Sunday said reports that the government’s intention to lease the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to India-owned Adani Group is “fake news” despite contrary documents by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OOCRP) revealing a $2.5 billion (326 billion Kenyan Shilling) deal for 30 years lease.

In a Sunday report, President Ruto admitted there would be a private-public agreement for the JKIA airport extension while calling the OCCRP reports “fake news.”

Am I a madman? How do you sell a strategic national asset? You have to be insane. We must have the right investment for the airport. What we want to do is to work under the PPP programme,” he said.

The report was publicised following a wave of public outrage about the plan, first disclosed on X by a whistleblower familiar with what would have been a secret deal presented as a private-public partnership (PPP).

Following the disclosure, protesters planned to occupy the airport but were blocked by state security.

The said private investor, Adani Group or Adani Airports Holding Limited, is one of India’s largest and most politically influential conglomerates ridden with scandal, including accusations of fraud and insider trading, which it has denied.

According to the OCCRP report, Adani Group’s proposal indicated that the airport project would be “highly dependent on favourable tax policies” from the Kenyan government.

While speaking to Kenyans during a town hall meeting, Ruto denied the allegation, stating that the airport would not be sold. This is despite the fact that he is under the six-week immense pressure of a youth-led protest demanding he resign due to poor governance.

“I want to persuade you Kenyans, don’t buy into fake news,” he said. “Don’t buy into the propaganda.”

Contrary to Ruto’s claim but affirming the OCCRP and the whistleblower’s alarm, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) stated in a statement on X that it had received an investment proposal under the Public Private Partnerships Act from Adani but that it would be “subjected to technical, financial and legal reviews.”

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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