Senator Aaron Cheruiyot responds to claims of brokering JKIA-Adani deal

Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot has come out to dismiss allegations that he brokered the deal between the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Indian conglomerate Adani Group for the leasing of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Cheruiyot, who spoke on the floor of the House on Thursday, refuted the claims terming them a “character assassination” attempt, reiterating that he is a man of integrity who had worked hard for everything that he had.

The Kericho Senator went bare knuckle on the Adani deal whistleblower Nelson Amenya who made the remarks during a televised interview on Wednesday night, clarifying that he has neither met the Adani Group owner nor does he have any links to the company and its agents.

“I don’t work for KAA and I don’t work for the Ministry of Transport. So I don’t know on what condition someone can allege that I brokered a deal between Kenya and another foreign entity whose owner, agents I have never met,” said Cheruiyot.

“I have worked extremely hard in my family clan to protect my image. Those who know me can speak to my integrity as a person. I don’t do those kinds of things and therefore even as a country as we call for accountability, doesn’t it behoove us that we behave better than those we accuse of committing such ills? We cannot fight corruption by character assassinating other citizens of our republic.”

The lawmaker went ahead to state that he will be seeking legal redress against Amenya as well as the media house that allowed him to spread what he intimated are unfounded allegations.

“My lawyers will be reaching out to that gentleman. I have a name to protect and it is in the interest of this House that they know their Majority Leader. As I seek justice, the media that was used to swell my name will equally have to give an account. I will be bringing my statement on Tuesday on a personal matter but in the meantime, my lawyers will be reaching out to those people,” he noted.

Amenya on Wednesday said he was the one who brought the details of the Adani deal to the limelight, adding that he even political leaders – besides Cheruiyot – were not aware of what was going on.

Despite not revealing the details, he accused the Kericho Senator of being behind the controversial deal, saying that Cheruiyot travelled to India and brokered the deal with the Adani Group top honchos.

“I am the one who shared the documents with politicians. Nobody knew anything about the deal and the documents, including Senator (Richard) Onyonka, except Aaron Cheruiyot who is the broker in this deal and he was the one who went to India met with Adani and brought Adani to Kenya,” he stated during the televised interview.