Gautam Adani (Photo: Bloomberg)
Despite facing protests and opposition from unions until recently over the transfer of management of the country’s main airport to the Adani Group, led by Gautam Adani, the Kenyan government has confirmed that the conglomerate will build power transmission lines, it said. Economic times.
Kenya’s Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco) has awarded a concession for a public-private partnership to build power transmission lines to India’s Adani Group and an entity of the African Development Bank, a presidential economic adviser said in a report.
David Ndii, President William Ruto’s chief economic adviser, announced via a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the concession is valued at $1.3 billion.
In the post on X, Ndii said: “The government, through Ketraco, has given PPP concessions to Adani and Africa50 to build new transmission lines. They are hiring their project teams. The cost of these transmission lines is $1.3 billion which we do not have to borrow.”
Africa50 is an infrastructure-focused investment platform operating under the African Development Bank.
Separately, the Kenyan government’s plan to lease the country’s main international airport to the Adani Group has sparked public outrage and triggered a strike by aviation workers. The proposal includes leasing Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the Adani Group for a period of 30 years, with the company investing $1.85 billion in expanding the airport, the report said.
Adani, which operates seven airports in India, has been the subject of frequent criticism from opposition parties in India, who accuse it of benefiting from government favoritism. Both Indian officials and the Adani Group have consistently denied these accusations.
Kenya is currently facing significant debt, accumulated over years of heavy infrastructure investment. Earlier this year, the government’s plan to raise taxes in an attempt to generate funds for debt repayment sparked violent protests, forcing the administration to back off the proposal.
First published: September 16, 2024 | 9:50 am IS
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