JKIA is not on sale - Mudavadi

Reports on the alleged sale of the airport has dominated Kenya’s media platforms lately, prompting a Tuesday protest dubbed ‘OccupyJKIA’. 

On Monday, Mudavadi told the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee that the sale of such a high-value asset can only be done after public memoranda and approval by parliament. 

“The airport is not on sale. This is a public asset, a strategic asset. If it was going to be sold, you can only do it after a full public process that parliament endorses,” Mudavadi told MPs. 

The Prime CS said that instead, there are plans to modernize the airport and build a new terminal. 

“The Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) must look at its investment programme very carefuly, make sure that everything is transparent. So that during the expansion process of the second terminal, let it be done through the legal process so that everybody knows what is going on,” he added. 

Kisii Senator Onyoka is among legislators who have publicly discussed reports on the JKIA take over. 

He claims the government has handed over the airport ownership to unnamed foreign players.

“We are signing off our airport to be run by a private company for 30 years and after the contract expires, they will keep the equity of our airport at the rate of 18 per cent. Why would anyone sign such an agreement?” posed the senator, citing an unnamed French whistleblower.

The reports on the airport’s alleged sale have resulted in members of the public planning to take the Tuesday anti-government protests to JKIA. 

Police have since warned against ‘occupying JKIA’ as the airport is among protected areas in Kenya.