Once regarded as a beacon of hope and stability in East Africa, Kenya now finds itself embroiled in corruption scandals and questionable government dealings.
While the government pushes for development through foreign investments, many Kenyans are left questioning the true beneficiaries of these deals and the underlying motivations of their leaders.
A growing sense of skepticism looms over decisions being made without the necessary involvement of the public, raising serious concerns about governance, transparency, and accountability.
A key issue that has sparked public outrage is the government’s disregard for constitutional mandates, particularly the requirement for public participation in major decision-making processes.
Many recent infrastructure projects have been undertaken without proper consultation or transparency, leaving citizens feeling excluded and suspicious.
This has led many to wonder if Kenyan leaders are giving priority to foreign investments at the expense of Kenyan business people. One of the latest controversies surrounds the proposed privatization of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where the government is looking to lease the airport to Indian conglomerate, Adani Enterprises.
The deal has sparked significant backlash from civil society, leading organizations such as the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) to file legal action against the privatization move.
They raised concerns about the potential ramifications of the deal, prompting the High Court to halt any progress pending further regulatory review.
Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has publicly endorsed the deal, praising the improvements made by Adani Enterprises at Ahmedabad Airport in India. She cited its transformation into a “five-star airport” as a reason for supporting the agreement.
However, her support has done little to alleviate public skepticism, with many Kenyans questioning her motivations. The strong political endorsements of the deal, coupled with the lack of public engagement have raised concerns about whose interests are truly being served.
This situation mirrors past experiences with other public-private partnerships in Kenya, where deals seem to benefit a select few rather than the wider populace.
Kenya’s infrastructure landscape is littered with examples of projects that have been marred by allegations of corruption and mismanagement, with the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) being a prime example.
Launched in 2017 during the Jubilee administration, the SGR project was billed as a game-changer for Kenya’s transport sector. However, it quickly became a lightning rod for controversy.
The project’s main contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) was granted significant control over feasibility studies, contracts, and operations, with limited oversight from Kenyan authorities.
This led to concerns over the project’s management and whether it was truly in the country’s best interest. Activist Okiya Omtatah has been particularly vocal in criticizing the project, arguing that Kenyans are now shouldering the burden of repaying a $6.9 million debt.
He contends that despite previous assurances that the bulk of the funding came from Chinese loans, Kenya is still paying for much of the project out of its pocket raising serious questions about fiscal transparency.
The National Treasury confirmed that debt repayments surged in 2022, with Kenya owing nearly $8 billion to China, largely due to the SGR. Allegations of corruption have further complicated the SGR’s financial strain.
There are claims that funds from the project, as well as toll revenues from the Nairobi Expressway, are being siphoned off to private companies, notably one referred to as Mountain Hill Global.
Businessman Jimi Wanjigi has been a vocal critic of the project, arguing that the nation has paid significantly more than the actual cost of construction.
He accused both the current and previous administrations of inflating project costs, pointing out that Kenya’s contribution to the SGR ballooned from an initial estimate of $384 million to a staggering $4.9 billion.
Similarly, the cost of the Nairobi Expressway pegged at around $768 million has also been the subject of intense scrutiny, with Wanjigi contending that the China Road and Bridge Corporation pocketed over $5.3 billion in excess.
While Kenya grapples with these challenges, neighbouring countries have undertaken similar infrastructure projects with greater success and fewer controversies. Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa – Adama Expressway, for instance, stands as a model of effective governance.
The 80-kilometer toll road, which opened in 2014, connects Ethiopia’s capital with the Port of Djibouti, a vital trade route. Unlike Kenya’s infrastructure projects, Ethiopia’s expressway has been lauded for alleviating congestion and facilitating economic growth, all while being built at a fraction of the cost.
In comparison, Kenya’s infrastructure projects, such as the SGR and the Nairobi Expressway, have faced significant criticism for their inflated costs and questionable management.
The SGR’s first phase, covering 472 km from Mombasa to Nairobi, cost $3.2 billion, while the second phase, spanning 120 km from Nairobi to Naivasha, was estimated at $1.5 billion.
By contrast, Tanzania’s SGR, which covers 422 km between Dar es Salaam and Morogoro, is expected to cost $1.92 billion, underscoring the inflated costs of Kenya’s projects.
The incompletion of the SGR has also had broader regional implications. Countries like Rwanda, Sudan, and Djibouti had anticipated economic benefits from the railway, which promised to enhance regional trade and lower transportation costs.
For Rwanda, the SGR would have provided an efficient trade route for imports and exports. Sudan and Djibouti, key players in East Africa’s trade ecosystem, were banking on increased traffic and revenue from a fully connected rail network.
With the SGR incomplete, these countries are now forced to rely on costly and inefficient road transportation, stifling regional economic integration.
Kenya’s troubled infrastructure landscape raises serious questions about governance, transparency, and accountability. While public-private partnerships can provide much-needed funding for development, there is a fine line between collaboration and exploitation.
The exclusion of the public from critical decision-making processes has created a climate of distrust, leading many to wonder whether the government is acting in the nation’s best interest or simply facilitating foreign profit-seeking ventures.
The ongoing debates surrounding projects like JKIA, the SGR, and the Nairobi Expressway illustrate the need for greater public involvement and oversight in Kenya’s development journey.
As corruption scandals and inflated costs continue to dominate the discourse, Kenyans are demanding clarity on who truly benefits from these lucrative deals.
Moving forward, the government must prioritise transparency, fiscal responsibility, and the needs of its people over the interests of foreign investors.
