Nelson Amenya, the whistleblower behind the controversial JKIA-Adani deal, has been recognized among the 100 Most Influential Africans of 2024 by the London-based New African magazine.
Amenya gained prominence in July after leaking documents on social media detailing a proposed Public-Private Partnership (PPP) deal between Kenya and India’s Adani Group.
The deal sought to modernize and manage Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) under a 30-year lease.
The documents revealed that Kenya would contribute the largest share of investment but stood to gain disproportionately low financial returns.
Amenya raised concerns that the agreement could potentially saddle Kenya with compensation obligations if the Adani Group failed to recoup its investment.
The whistleblower further alleged that some government officials planned to bypass key legal procedures, including public consultations designed to protect taxpayers.
A Kenya Airports Authority report from April on the proposed deal confirmed the absence of stakeholder consultations.
Amenya’s revelations triggered public outrage and intense scrutiny of the proposed arrangement, forcing authorities to address the concerns he raised.
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