(Nairobi) – Shock Cancellation of Adani Deals Leaves Kenyans Scratching Their Heads and Politicians Running for Cover. Hours after Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi defended multi-billion deals with Adani Group, President Ruto pulled the rug, cancelling the controversial contracts amid mounting corruption concerns.
In a surprising turn of events that has left everyone from MPs to wananchi scratching their heads, President William Ruto ordered the cancellation of two major deals between Kenya and the Adani Group. The deals involved billions of shillings, the expansion of JKIA (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport), and power transmission projects that could have made the Indian company a household name in Kenya’s infrastructure sector. But just hours after Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi assured Parliament that the deals were rock solid, Ruto made a dramatic about face, calling for the cancellation of these lucrative agreements. It was as if someone switched off the lights mid conversation.
In an unexpected turn, CS Wandayi, who was like a knight in shining armor defending the controversial Adani Group earlier that day, found himself with no choice but to backpedal. He had confidently assured a Senate committee that Kenya would continue with a KSh 98 billion ($678 million) power transmission deal, despite the dark cloud of bribery and corruption hanging over the Adani Group, as exposed by a US court. According to Wandayi, Kenya had done its homework—two rounds of due diligence, complete with a documentary review, to ensure that the Indian giant was squeaky clean.
But in the political game of “who’s really in charge?” it seems Ruto was the one holding all the cards. The President’s sudden announcement during his State of the Nation address—ordering the immediate cancellation of not just one, but two multi-billion deals with Adani—left many wondering if the government had lost the plot or simply had no choice but to follow global pressure.
The details of the deals were as grand as the shiny new power lines they promised to build. The Ketraco deal, which was already inked, involved the construction of power transmission lines and substations across Kenya, worth KSh 98 billion. The second deal, still in the pipeline, was a KSh 238 billion ($1.64 billion) bid for the 30 year lease of JKIA. But just when it seemed like Kenya might be on the verge of becoming an Adani haven, President Ruto pulled the plug, citing corruption allegations and diplomatic concerns.
A Little Drama Before the U-Turn
Just hours before the President’s shock cancellation, Energy CS Wandayi had been singing a very different tune. He assured Parliament that everything was in order, that due diligence had been done, and that the deals would proceed despite the shady history of Adani Group’s founder, Gautam Adani. Wandayi was so confident that the deal would go through, one might think he had shares in Adani himself. He even mentioned that there was no cause for concern, as Adani had passed all the “due diligence tests.” Apparently, the fact that a US court had just indicted Adani over bribery didn’t raise any red flags in the government’s eyes. To put it bluntly, if due diligence was a class, Adani seemed to have passed with flying colors—at least according to the government.
But then came the unexpected: President Ruto, with impeccable timing, stepped into the spotlight. In a move that could make even the smoothest political strategist do a double take, Ruto announced that the deals were off. It was as if a magician had pulled a rabbit out of a hat, except this time, the rabbit was a whole new plan. The JKIA deal? Gone. The Ketraco deal? Also gone. In a heartbeat, Kenya was looking for other partners, and not just anyone—alternative partners.
Now, while this announcement brought applause from Parliament, it left Kenyans asking: What changed? Were these deals too good to be true? Was the pressure from international corruption watchdogs too much for Kenya to handle? Or was this simply a clever political maneuver to shift focus?
The Speech That Wasn’t
Here is where it gets juicy. According to some insiders, the President’s speech had to be reworked to reflect the latest developments about Adani’s legal troubles. It turns out that the speech wasn’t quite as spontaneous as it appeared. Initially, the President was all for the Adani deals—until the US court intervened. Then, like a scriptwriter tweaking a plot twist, the speechwriters were given new instructions to edit out any mention of the Adani Group. And just like that, a change in direction was delivered to Kenyans live on national TV.
Even Raila Odinga, the opposition leader, seemed to be caught off guard by the developments. He had earlier urged the government to handle the Adani deals with care, ensuring that transparency and accountability were upheld. Of course, some critics immediately accused him of “laundering” Adani’s image, which only added fuel to the fire. Raila’s lawyer, Paul Mwangi, later acknowledged the US corruption charges but called on the government to “follow up” and ensure that nothing fishy had happened on Kenyan soil. Meanwhile, Kenyans were left to wonder if this was all just another chapter in the never ending saga of the country’s PPP deals (Public-Private Partnerships, for those who don’t keep track of government jargon).
What Does This Mean for Kenya?
The sudden about turn from Ruto is a reminder that in Kenya, nothing is ever as it seems. Deals are signed, cancelled, re-signed, and then… cancelled again. For now, Kenya is back to square one, looking for alternative partners to help with its infrastructure woes. But the real question remains: what is the real cost of all this drama? Will the next partner be any more transparent than Adani?
Adani’s Shocking 180° in Kenya’s Deals
| Deal Name | Initial Value (Kenyan Shillings) | Initial Value (USD) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ketraco Power Transmission Lines | KSh 98 billion | $678 million | Canceled |
| JKIA Lease Agreement | KSh 238 billion | $1.64 billion | Canceled |