The documents Nelson Amenya released online in July indicated that the Adani Group, headed by India’s richest man, Gautam Adani, had been in months-long talks to lease Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for 30 years.
When Nelson Amenya revealed covert negotiations for an Indian company to take over Kenya’s principal airport, it created a stir. He claims he has no regrets but worries that his life is at danger right now.
The JKIA is one of the busiest hubs in Africa, yet it is in dire need of renovations and frequently experiences power outages and leaky roofs.
Adani made a bid of $1.85 billion, but detractors argue that is insignificant given the strategic importance of the airport, whose fees make up 5% of Kenya’s GDP.
Complete secrecy surrounded the conversations, which didn’t seem to be an attempt to solicit offers from other parties.
Because of the stipulations, they didn’t want it to be made public. Amenya told AFP, “This is crazy—Adani wanted to keep 18% equity in the airport even after the 30-year lease.”
His disclosures caused a furor that resulted in a walkout by airport employees and a thorough parliamentary probe.
During his testimony last week, newly appointed Finance Minister John Mbadi said he was taken aback to learn that the Kenyan Aviation Authority (KAA) had approved Adani’s plan in less than a day in March.
The KAA promised the sale would be “subject to technical, financial, and legal reviews alongside requisite due processes,” but it hasn’t commented on the deal’s secrecy.
“I’m not secure.”
Amenya claims he is being singled out on multiple fronts and is not receiving any appreciation for allowing the public to examine the agreement.
Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations accused a carbon credit company he co-founded of trading fraudulent cryptocurrency not long after he made his revelations.
“We don’t sell crypto, we don’t transact on our website at all,” Amenya chuckled.
His only reason for disclosing the arrangement was that he was studying in France at the time.
“If you are in Kenya, you will be targeted by the police, by mercenaries, you might even lose your life,” he stated.
Even there, his opponents have managed to get through to him by using French lawyers to impose a gag order.
The warnings regarding his bodily safety have been more concerning.
“I know I’m not safe and I could potentially be taken out at any moment in France,” Amenya replied. He has reported his worries to French police, but he did not want to provide specifics about his sources.
“You’re talking about a $2-billion deal and you don’t know how much has changed hands to reach this stage,” he stated.
According to Sheila Masinde, the director of Transparency International’s Kenya office, these worries are legitimate.
“We’ve seen whistleblowers in Kenya facing harassment ranging from physical torture to abduction to legal threats,” Masinde stated to AFP.
She also mentioned that a Whistleblower Protection Bill has been sitting in parliament for eleven years.
Nelson requires both legal and physical protection. He’s doing this for the public interest,” added Masinde.
“Illegal activities”
The most concerning aspect of the airport transaction for Amenya was Adani’s reputation.
The massive Indian company that controls ports to power had $150 billion knocked off its market value last year after it was accused of “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud” in a study by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research.
Regarding its mining operations there, the company is accused by Australian environmentalists of “environmental destruction, human rights abuses, corruption, and illegal dealings.”
Adani claims the Hindenburg report was a “maliciously mischievous” attempt to damage its reputation and is suing its primary Australian critic.
When AFP asked the Adani Group for comment, they didn’t reply.
If Amenya had not revealed the airport contract beforehand, he thinks it would not have been made public until it was signed.
“It was the right time to do it because they were just about to sign the commercial agreement and move into the project-development stage,” according to him.
“We still might not be able to stop Adani from taking over JKIA, but at least we can influence the terms.”
Kenya’s government says the arrangements are still being negotiated and that refurbishments at the airport are important.
