Senator Susan Kihika Criticizes Kenyan Public For “Negativity” Over JKIA Lease

Nakuru County Senator Susan Kihika has voiced concerns over what she perceives as an increasingly negative and almost unpatriotic outlook among Kenyans.

Kihika’s comments follow public resistance to the government’s plan to lease Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) for further development under a public-private partnership (PPP).

Expressing her frustration, Kihika questioned what the public truly wants.

“Good people, I’m sitting here wondering what Kenyans really want. You don’t want the President to borrow more money, but when we have investors for PPPs, you’re up in arms. You also don’t want internal revenue raised through the Finance Bill,” she said.

The senator argued that major projects, like the dualling of the Rironi-Mau Summit Road and completion of Nakuru’s Lanet Airport, require substantial funding.

She emphasized that alternative financing models, such as PPPs, could help bridge these gaps, saying, “As we face debt limits and challenges in local resource collection, it’s time to embrace sustainable development solutions, like PPPs, for Kenya’s infrastructure growth.”

The ongoing JKIA lease proposal has stirred considerable public debate.

A recent petition, filed by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), has challenged the planned takeover by Adani Group.

The case, now referred by the High Court to Chief Justice Martha Koome for further review, argues that the deal undermines principles of good governance, accountability, and transparency.

The KHRC and LSK maintain that JKIA, as a profitable national asset, should remain under government control and suggest that Kenya can raise the estimated Sh238 billion required for the project without a lease.

“The Adani proposal is unaffordable, threatens jobs, and offers little value for taxpayer money,” lawyer Dudley Ochiel argued in court.

Despite the public backlash, both President William Ruto and opposition leader Raila Odinga have expressed support for the deal, citing potential benefits to Kenya’s infrastructure.

Kihika, meanwhile, views the opposition to such projects as unpatriotic, noting, “We have become extremely negative as a people. Very cynical, and dare I say, almost unpatriotic.”