An American company has faulted President William Ruto’s administration for failing to respond to its proposal to renovate the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The Buenos Aires-based company in an interview with Bloomberg revealed that it submitted a presentation letter to then Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen seeking a deal to revamp the country’s main airport.
According to the firm, despite submitting the proposal in mid-June, they were yet to receive any response from the Kenyan government concerning their request.
“So far, we haven’t had any response from Kenya’s government to that letter of presentation,” stated the company’s official who spoke to the publication.
A photo of Adani Holdings Group owner Gautam Adani. Photo/Gautam Adani
The company’s interest adds to a private bid by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani to take over Kenya’s main airport and run it for 30 years.
The concern by the US company comes days after Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir clarified that the Privately Initiated Proposal (PIP) was yet to be finalised as purported by a section of Kenyans.
Chirchir while appearing before the Senate Road and Transport Committee also noted that the deal with Adani would not affect other airports.
“The Adani Privately Initiated Proposal is only confined to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. It is further confined to another aeronautical and commercial development,” Chirchir reiterated.
The Minister further noted that the government had already commenced public participation in the deal and urged Kenyans to exercise patience.
Davis Chirchir’s clarification comes hardly a week after aviation workers across the country staged demonstrations protesting the government’s decision to lease JKIA to the Indian conglomerate.
While protesting, the airport workers noted that the deal posed a huge risk to their jobs and demanded the government’s intervention on the matter.
During the demonstrations, activities at the country’s main airports were paralysed, forcing police officers to take the responsibility of quelling the protests.
Picture of Road and Transport CS Nominee at a meeting in his office, March 22.
Photo
Ministry of Energy
