Ruto Defends JKIA Expansion Despite Controversy On Adani Deal

President William Ruto on Wednesday, October 2 stood firm on the government’s push to expand the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) amidst controversy surrounding the government's move to lease the airport to Indian conglomerate Adani.

Speaking during the Magical Kenya Travel Expo 2024 at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, the Head of State termed the expansion of the country's largest airport as integral given that this would allow it to host more passengers.

According to Ruto, the country is projecting to accommodate up to five million visitors from around the world, and the government’s ambitious plan to expand JKIA would allow it to accommodate a large number of visitors by 2027.

He marketed Kenya as a top tourist destination in the world and going by his remarks, he is aiming to position the country as the "best premier destination", hence the need to revamp the airport.

President Ruto on JKIA expansion: We want to have five million tourists#ViralVideos pic.twitter.com/ibKAjYbLkJ — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) October 2, 2024

"We want to have five million tourists and that is the reason why we need to expand our airport and other facilities because we have the best premier destination in the world," he revealed.

According to the president, the government would do everything within its means to ensure that it hits its target of five million tourists by 2027.

"By the end of 2023, Kenya welcomed over 2.3 million visitors generating Ksh350 billion in revenue, a clear indicator of a global appeal. Our target is to attract 5 million annually by 2027," the Head of State said.

"Achieving this target requires concerted efforts from all sectors to position Kenya as a must-visit destination. Five million is attainable and by the end of this year, we will have received the highest number of tourists in history at 2.5 million."

Expanding JKIA has been seen as an overdue move by the government, but leasing it to Adani for a period of up to 30 years has drawn massive uproar, especially over the contents of the deal, some of which have caused anxiety among JKIA workers with fears that the conglomerate could implement a restructuring of its workforce.

Adani has committed to a Ksh238 billion investment to upgrade and expand the airport. Several stakeholders including the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and Law Society of Kenya (LSK) however moved to court to stop the deal citing that leasing a strategic and profitable JKIA to a private entity with questionable past reputation is irrational.

A High Court order issued on September 9, 2024, blocked the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) from moving ahead with its decision to lease JKIA to Adani, pending a judicial review filed by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC).

KHRC and LSK sought details from JKIA in July and August 2024. The immediate stay order prevents any action on the Adani lease proposal until the judicial review is concluded, meaning even the government cannot conduct its thorough due diligence investigation into the Privately Initiated Proposal (PIP) submitted by Adani Airports Holdings Limited on the proposal and expansion of JKIA.

The substantive hearing will decide whether the lease agreement, which has raised concerns about national sovereignty and job security, can be continued or terminated entirely. The case is scheduled for further mention on October 8, 2024.