Kenya has annulled significant infrastructure agreements with India’s Adani Group, including a multimillion-dollar airport expansion project and energy transmission contracts, following allegations of corruption and fraud against the conglomerate. U.S. prosecutors recently charged Adani Group with bribery and fraud, prompting Kenyan President William Ruto to take decisive action.
“This decision stems from new findings provided by our investigative bodies and allied nations,” Ruto stated during a national address. Despite the controversy, Kenya’s Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi assured a parliamentary committee that no evidence of bribery or corruption had been found on Kenya’s part during the signing of these agreements, according to PTI.
The terminated airport project included plans to modernize Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by constructing a new runway and terminal. In exchange, the Adani Group was set to operate the facility for 30 years. However, the project faced widespread criticism, sparking anti-Adani protests and strikes by airport workers concerned about potential job losses and also deteriorated working conditions.
Additionally, the Adani Group had been awarded contracts to construct power transmission lines in Kenya, East Africa’s leading business hub. Both deals faced mounting scrutiny as public opposition and international allegations of misconduct overshadowed the potential benefits of these ambitious projects.
