Nelson Amenya, the whistleblower who revealed the government’s contentious plan to lease Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to the Indian conglomerate Adani Airport Holdings Limited, has reported threats to his life following the exposé.
Just two months ago, Amenya began releasing documents outlining the terms and conditions of the deal between the Adani Group and the government.
The disclosure has sparked widespread public outrage, as many have voiced strong opposition to the agreement.
Despite the government’s efforts to reassure the public that the deal has not yet been finalized, Kenyans have expressed strong opposition to the involvement of the Indian conglomerate. Many are raising concerns about the secrecy surrounding the agreement, questioning why key details remain undisclosed.
In an interview with KTN, Amenya revealed that he has been receiving threats from Indian bloggers as well as unidentified individuals in Kenya.
Additionally, officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) contacted him, warning that he could face multiple charges related to the matter.
Amenya, a 30-year-old student, is currently pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration at HEC Paris in France.
“I don’t think I’m really safe. I’ve received a lot of threats since the day I exposed this deal from Indian bloggers as well as in Kenya. The DCI try to intimidate us by sending trumped up charges,” he said.
Amenya, while explaining the terms of the deal, stated that Adani seeks exclusive control of JKIA to use it as collateral for securing loans.
The contract also stipulates that Adani can terminate the agreement if the government fails to safeguard their business interests. Additionally, the government would be obligated to ensure that Adani receives an annual concessional fee of Sh50 million, paid quarterly in advance.
“Adani was asking to have the title deed of Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) in their name and the reason they gave is that they will want to use it as collateral for taking loans,” he explained.
“They asked KAA that after two years they renegotiate workers’ contract.”
One of the key concerns raised by Amenya is why the Indian firm, Adani, insists on routing the funds through Abu Dhabi instead of transacting directly with Kenya. He questioned the lack of transparency in this financial arrangement, adding to the suspicions surrounding the deal.
“The revenue from the SPB (Special Purpose Bonds) in Kenya goes to the SPB in Abu Dhabi and then goes to the Indian company, Adani,” he said.
“So this one alone raised a red flag, why can’t they do business directly to India from Kenya? Why does it go through Dubai. If you follow the news, UAE is a big tax haven and the way they launder money is through SPBs,” he added.