President William Ruto has assured Kenyans that the planned upgrade of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) will proceed, despite the cancellation of the procurement process between Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and the Adani Group.
Speaking during his visit to Taita Taveta County on Tuesday, December 3, the President emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to modernizing the airport, which is a critical part of the country’s infrastructure development.
“Although we have stopped the deal with Adani due to legal concerns, I want to reassure you that we are still committed to building a new, state-of-the-art airport. We are putting in place a new framework to ensure the success of this project,” President Ruto said.
The President also dismissed critics of the project, some of whom, he noted, have never even visited an airport. “What gain do you make when you stop the building of an airport in your country? Those who are opposing have never even been to an airport,” he remarked.
Ruto further clarified that while he had initially been confident in the ability of Adani to deliver the project, the cancellation was necessary due to legal constraints involving ongoing cases with the firm.
“We stopped the deal because the law prohibits us from engaging with individuals or companies with pending legal cases,” he explained.
Despite the setback, the President expressed confidence that the project would continue under a new framework, stressing that the government would collaborate with partners who are fully committed to the nation’s progress.
“We will work with people who believe in this country to build the airport. This is the future of our country,” he added.
Additionally, President Ruto made it clear that those who work against Kenya’s development will not succeed.
“The naysayers, the people who sabotage Kenya, the people who hate our country, and those who don’t believe in it will not succeed. We are going to change this country because we believe in it,” he declared.
Following the cancellation of the Adani deal, the President directed relevant government procurement offices to seek alternative private entities interested in taking on the project, ensuring that progress on the upgrade remains on track.
