President William Ruto has become the latest government voice to denounce reports of plans to sell the iconic Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to an Indian-based multinational conglomerate, Adani Airport Holdings Limited.
Speaking during a Presidential Town Hall held in Mombasa County on Sunday, July 28, Ruto defended his decision to contract the private investor to develop JKIA, arguing that the costs of refurbishing the country’s largest airport threatened to exact a huge toll on the government, thus the need to have a third party.
He emphasized that as part of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, the private investor needed to come on board and undertake the upgrading process which includes the construction of a new terminal and a second runway as well as refurbishments.
President William Ruto speaking during a town hall engagement in Mombasa County on July 28, 2024. /KBC DIGITAL
“We need to work with investors to give us a new airport in Nairobi. I have seen people saying that William Ruto wants to sell the airport. Am I a madman? How do you sell a strategic national asset? You have to be insane,” Ruto defended.
“We must have the right investment for the airport, it is a strategic national asset. What we want to do in the airport is to work under the PPP programme and people must understand that PPP has the potential to bring in private sector money blended with public sector investment to be able to create an outcome that brings win-win.”
Ruto lamented the current state of the airport consisting of canvas in the middle of the tarmac at the arrivals section, put up nearly seven years ago to serve as a temporary structure, hence the need for upgrades.
He referred to the Nairobi Expressway which was built by the private sector under the PPP arrangement, a model that would also be considered while extending the superhighway through Nakuru and Eldoret to Malaba.
Ruto stated that it was necessary to have the government refurbish the airport stating that the project was overdue for 10 years.Â
“We are going to work in an open and transparent manner to make sure that we develop the airport using legal instruments that can be audited by Parliament and other agencies,” he assured.
His sentiments are in agreement with that of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) which revealed that JKIA has ageing infrastructure, some of which goes back to its construction in 1978, thus posing a threat to Kenya’s regional competitiveness.
KAA acting Managing Director Henry Ogoye noted that the Cabinet approved the JKIA Medium Term Investment Plan covering the upgrade of the passenger terminal building, runway, taxiway and apron.
“The attendant investment requirement is significant and cannot be funded with the prevailing fiscal constraints without recourse to private funding.
“Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) received an investment proposal under the Public Private Partnerships Act 2021 from the Adani Airport Holdings Limited, a key airport operator, to invest in a new passenger terminal building, second runway and refurbishment of the existing facilities at JKIA,” the statement read in part.
A roof under construction as passengers walk within Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on June 10, 2024. /LARRY MADOWO