India’s Congress Party has criticised the controversial deal under consideration for Indian firm Adani to take over the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for 30 years.
Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh last week warned that the Adani Group proposal, which caused the grounding of operations at the busiest airport in East Africa on Wednesday due to a workers’ strike, could trigger anger against India and the Indian Government.
“This is a matter of grave concern for India, because the non-biological PM’s [Narendra Modi] friendship with Mr. Adani is now globally well known. The protests can therefore easily convert into anger against India and the Indian Government,” Ramesh said.
“Today, the PM’s collusion with the Adani group has contributed to the diminishing of this strength and unprecedented reversals for India on the global stage – just one of the many sacrifices the country has had to make at the altar of the non-biological PM’s special friendship,” the spokesman of the opposition party added.
Kenya airports authority workers went on strike at JKIA on Wednesday to protest Gautam Adani‘s proposal to take over the airport, saying the deal will lender them jobless. The workers chanted, “Adani Must Go!”
Several flights were cancelled, while others have been delayed as the workers’ strike continued to impact operations. Only arriving flights were processed. Kenya Airways communicated cancelation and delay of its flights.
JKIA workers were joined by their colleagues in, among other airports, Isiolo and Eldoret.
While Adani Group argues that it will absorb the workers, they will have to renegotiate their terms of engagement after two years, a provision workers say points to a retrenchment.
“The Adani Group’s proposed takeover of the airport in Nairobi, Kenya, has led to widespread protests in the country, with the Kenya Aviation Workers Union calling for a strike to demonstrate its opposition,” Ramesh added.
Ramesh cited recent projects by the billionaire group in neighbouring countries that led to protests against their respective governments. He said that Sheikh Hasina government’s contract to purchase power from Adani’s coal plant in Jharkhand was one of the boiling points which led to her resignation.
“The Bangladesh Government’s contract to purchase power from Adani’s coal plant in Jharkhand, for instance, became a flashpoint in the protests that led to PM Sheikha Hasina’s resignation last month,” he said on X.
Kenyans and some political leaders have opposed the deal, which President William Ruto has defended a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.
Kenyans argue that there was no public participation on the proposal as provided for in the law.
Senator Ledama Olekina (ODM) on Wednesday said any major deal must now be approved by Parliament and the citizens of Kenya!
“This Executive is roque!” he said
