MPs on Thursday turned away the Principal Secretary for roads and transport, Mohamed Daghar for a ‘shallow’ submission on the Adani- JKIA takeover deal.
The members of the Debt and Privatisation Committee were angered by what they termed ‘Googled submissions’, which failed to answer to the questions they had summoned the PS to respond to.
The committee chaired by Balambala MP Shurie Abdi expressed frustration with the PS’s presentation, noting a lack of detailed information on the project timeline, due diligence process, and overall execution, which members found to be insufficiently specific.
“Honestly speaking, I think you’re just ticking the box and saying we appeared before the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee. That’s exactly what you’ve just done. This committee deals with matters PPP, and what you’ve just put here is what we all understand and know is available on the internet,” Shurie said.
Lagdera Constituency MP Mohamed Abdikadir was the first to interrupt the PS, noting that what had been submitted was not what the committee expected. “This is a very shallow report; this is the information that I can pull from websites. You may be feeling fatigued. But if information has not been provided to this committee, it has not been provided to Parliament,” Abdikadir said.
“We want a detailed report on how things went, the timelines, and everything else. But I think for our PS with all due respect. It’s like you have not done your job,” added the Lagdera lawmaker.
MP Omboko Milemba said that for a PS to come to the committee and give the shallow report is very embarrassing.
“And it’s like you, as any other per- son on the street, can get this report from anywhere. So I don’t know why you came here with this kind of report, just to embarrass yourself,” Milemba said.
In response, the PS clarified that procedural steps in the deal had stalled due to ongoing court cases that suspended project activities.
He said that the court cases have effectively paused further actions, including due diligence and stakeholder engagements.
The PS reiterated that no legally binding agreement had been finalised with the proposed partner, Adani Airport Holdings, and that discussions had only reached a non-binding “Heads of Terms” stage.
“It is, however, imperative to emphasize that no legally binding agreement has been finalised between the Kenya Airports Authority and the proponent, Adani Airport Holdings Ltd.
The discussions have only led to the development of a non-binding Heads of Terms document.
The Heads of Terms outline the key terms of the commercial transaction that have been mutually agreed upon in principle during the negotiation process,” PS Daghar said.
The committee asked the PS to return with a more robust, transparent report, suggesting that the session was an opportunity to clarify the government’s stance on PPPs and outline the expected benefits for the Kenyan public.
However, drama ensued after the PS sought to push forward the date of the summons, saying that he was to attend a burial of one of the staff.
“Parliament is in session, we are using taxpayers' money, yet you are saying that you’re attending a funeral. My goodness, this is a joke of the year, is the burial of a junior staff member a matter of national importance?” the committee chair, Shurie Abdi said.
Following the remarks, Kitui MP Irene Kasalu threatened to walk out of the session.
“I’m here, and my son is having
surgery; in fact, I need to get out of
here. This is a joke,” Kasalu said.
