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Kenya’s government has canceled all public-private partnership contracts signed with subsidiaries of India’s Adani Group.
It follows the indictment of billionaire Gautam Adani in New York on Wednesday.
President William Ruto announced controversial multimillion-dollar deals in the energy, transport and health sectors would be scrapped during his state of the nation address to parliament on Thursday. He cited the emergence of “credible information on corruption.”
The US Department of Justice has accused Adani of scheming to pay more than $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure solar energy supply contracts, and lying to US investors to finance the project.
Adani Group has denied the allegations.
Kenya’s public-private partnerships act bars the government from working with corrupt entities, including in privately initiated proposals by those “sued or convicted for acts of corruption” in different jurisdictions.
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Adani Energy Solutions last month signed a $736 million deal with the Kenya’s electricity transmission company to build and operate power transmission lines and substations, but its implementation was halted by a Nairobi court until a case challenging the agreement is heard.
An Adani Group subsidiary this year also secured a $1.85 billion lease to upgrade and operate Kenya’s largest airport in a 30-year concession, in a privately initiated proposal (PIP). But a Nairobi court in September also halted implementation of the deal as it faced legal challenges over alleged lack of transparency and value for money.