Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has sharply criticized those who opposed the Sh637 billion Adani deal, accusing them of sabotaging Kenya’s chances of making Nairobi a continental hub.
Speaking during an ODM Parliamentary Group meeting on Monday, Raila said critics who fueled resistance to the deal pushed Indian conglomerate Adani to withdraw from plans to revamp and manage Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
“When Adani came here and wanted to remake the airport, too much noise was made in Parliament for no reason at all. Adani pulled out, now the airport remains as it is,” Raila said.
He argued that the deal would not have transferred ownership but would have allowed Adani to invest in upgrading JKIA, with returns recouped over 30 years. According to him, expansion would have cost at least Sh238 billion, money that the government would have saved.
Raila claimed some groups opposed to the project had vested interests, going as far as sponsoring negative publicity against Adani. He accused them of paying people “under the table” to paint the company in bad light.
The ODM leader further warned that Nairobi risks losing its status as East Africa’s aviation hub to Kigali. He pointed out that Rwanda is already working with investors to expand Kigali International Airport under similar arrangements.
“Kigali is going to be the hub in this region, not Nairobi, because of the noise made here,” Raila cautioned.
The Adani-JKIA partnership was cancelled on President William Ruto’s orders earlier this year, with the government citing the need to protect national assets.
Raila expressed disappointment, recalling that Adani had previously been awarded a similar contract during his time as Prime Minister, only for it to be cancelled after the coalition government’s exit.
He cautioned that unless Kenya rethinks its approach to infrastructure partnerships, JKIA risks stagnation while competitors surge ahead.
