President William Ruto has directed the immediate cancellation of two major deals involving the controversial Indian conglomerate, Adani Group. The move follows mounting public opposition and fresh corruption allegations against the firm.
In a State of the Nation address during a joint parliamentary session on Thursday, Ruto instructed the Ministries of Transport and Energy to terminate the group’s procurement process for the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) upgrade and the recently finalized Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) contract.
The JKIA deal, worth Ksh 30 billion, would have allowed Adani Group to manage Kenya’s busiest airport for 30 years, including constructing a second runway and a new terminal by 2029. The KETRACO agreement, valued at Ksh 95.7 million, granted the group operational control of power transmission lines and substations to address Kenya’s frequent blackouts.
“Based on new information provided by investigative agencies and partner nations, I have directed the Ministries of Transport and Energy to immediately cancel the JKIA expansion procurement process and the recently concluded KETRACO agreement,” said President Ruto. “We will initiate a process to onboard alternative partners for these critical projects.”
The President’s announcement drew applause and a standing ovation from lawmakers present in the session.
Ruto’s decisive action came just hours after the U.S. government charged Adani Group Chair Gautam Adani with allegedly paying Ksh 30 billion in bribes to the Indian government to secure solar energy contracts.
The cancellation signals Kenya’s commitment to transparency and the fight against corruption in public-private partnerships.
