Nelson Amenya, the whistleblower who exposed the secretive JKIA-Adani deal, has shed light on the reasons for the delay in signing the necessary documents. According to Amenya, the exposure of the deal significantly contributed to its slowed implementation.
Amenya revealed that the agreement was initially conducted in secrecy, which explains why Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir delayed appearing before the Senate. He further stated that the Cabinet Secretary failed to fully disclose the details of the deal, including the original proposal, to the senators.
In a more shocking revelation, Amenya accused a senior Kenya Kwanza politician of allegedly accepting bribes to fast-track the process leading to the signing of the deal.
The whistleblower also highlighted mismanagement as a key factor contributing to the deterioration of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). He revealed that a Chinese firm had been awarded a Ksh1 billion tender in 2020 to fix leaking roofs at the airport, a problem that remains unresolved.
“Did you know a Ksh1 billion tender was awarded to a Chinese firm to fix the roof? The first time they received the tender was in 2020, and when CS Murkomen was in office, they were called back again,” Amenya alleged.
Amenya further claimed that the tender was single-sourced, with government officials allegedly blocking competitive processes. Despite delivering subpar work, the same firm was re-engaged to complete the project.
When asked about whether JKIA required an upgrade, Amenya blamed the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) for failing to ensure that funds allocated for airport renovations were utilized effectively.
On Wednesday, 18th September, the Adani Group released a press statement denying the claim that KAA approved their proposal in just 17 days. They also confirmed that the contract had not yet been signed.
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