Editor's Review

Adani Group has issued a statement on reports regarding the JKIA proposal.

Indian firm Adani Group has refuted reports that its proposal to upgrade the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) was cleared in 17 days. 

In a statement on Wednesday, September 18, Adani described the reports as false and said it had not engaged with the media on the matter. 

"We have come across a report claiming that the Adani Group made a statement regarding the Kenya Airports Authority and the approval process of a proposal.

"We would like to clarify that this report is entirely false. The Adani Group has neither issued any such statement nor engaged with the media on this matter. We urge media outlets to verify information through official channels before publishing, to avoid the spread of misinformation," Adani remarked.

Reports emerged on Wednesday that the Adani Airport Holdings' proposal to refurbish JKIA was cleared within 17 days for the feasibility study phase. 

File image of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Recently, the proposal has ignited a national controversy, prompting aviation workers at JKIA to go on strike before they resumed work after signing a return-to-work formula on September 11. 

In the agreement, Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) indicated that it received the documents it requested and that it would go through them within 10 working days to flag out its area of concern.

It was agreed that a meeting would be convened after 10 days, during which the outcome would determine the way forward. 

Furthermore, it was also agreed that the government would not finalize any agreement with Adani Airport Holdings without the concurrence of KAWU.

The aviation workers union had decried job losses over the government's deal with the Indian firm.

However, Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir affirmed that there was no formal agreement signed yet with Adani.