- He said he does not have the capacity to enter into any Public -public-private partnership (PPP) as a Cabinet Secretary.
- On July 30, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the government has not signed any agreements with Adani Airports Holdings Limited over upgrading the JKIA infrastructure.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Sports and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary nominee Kipchumba Murkomen has said he has not 'sold' the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
He said he does not have the capacity to enter into any Public -Private Partnership (PPP) as a Cabinet Secretary.
Speaking at the Parliament during his vetting on Saturday, he said the JKIA is yet to enter into a Privately Initiated Proposal (PIP) with the Adani Group.
He noted that this will not be the first PIP as the Expressway was constructed through the proposal.
"The difference between the Expressway and the JKIA is that there was a proposal," he said.
Murkomen explained that when a PIP is made, in this case, Kenya Airports Authority will go through a preliminary process of establishing the viability and verifying the capacity of the company.
After this, the process moves to the PPP directorate in the treasury, a step which Murkomen said is yet to be reached.
He explained that KAA was to first establish a relationship with the proponent.
He said they have reached a threshold where they are to do public participation and stakeholder engagement, after which they will send the report to the PPP.
Murkomen explained that the process is too complex to be done by one individual, insisting that he has not 'sold' the airport.
"I want to assure Kenyans that where the proponent will build the terminal is only a small section of the airport land, and we need it," he said.
On July 30, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the government has not signed any agreements with Adani Airports Holdings Limited over upgrading the JKIA infrastructure.
In a clarification on the group's PIP Mudavadi said the proposal by Adani Holdings is currently undergoing due process including reviews and negotiations.
He said this is in compliance with the PPP Act.
The Prime CS insisted that the country's interests would come first in the deal.
"For the avoidance of any doubt, all terms and conditions of the proposed arrangement are subject to negotiation in accordance with the provisions of the PPP Act and no terms have been agreed upon yet," Mudavadi said.
"As and when the terms are agreed, there shall be appropriate safeguards to ensure that Kenya's national interest prevails and that the private party is held fully accountable for the performance of its obligations."
He insisted that the proposed expansion and modernization of JKIA will be done in strict observance of the Constitution and legal frameworks established by the PPP Act.
The Prime CS assured the country that a detailed due diligence investigation will be conducted to determine the suitability of Adani Holdings to be investors in the JKIA upgrade project.
He noted that should the investigations prove them unsuitable, the government will look for other suitable options to undertake the project.
Mudavadi further noted that the government will also ensure all international obligations and regulations are adhered to.
"We assure the public that every step of this project will undergo rigorous review and scrutiny. The Government is committed to maintaining transparency and accountability throughout the process."
Mudavadi said JKIA is 10 years behind its development schedule according to its long-term master plan.