KAA confirms cancellation of Sh230bn JKIA-Adani deal

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has formally confirmed before the High Court that the government has cancelled the controversial Sh230 billion agreement with the Adani Group for the redevelopment of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Appearing before Justice Bahati Mwamuye on Tuesday, KAA, through its advocate Benson Odiwuor, informed the court that a formal letter cancelling the multi-billion-shilling deal had now been filed, months after the cancellation was publicly announced by President William Ruto.

“We confirm that indeed the promise to cancel the deal, as earlier announced by the Head of State, President William Ruto, has happened. In fact, a letter of cancellation of the Adani-JKIA redevelopment deal has been filed and attached alongside our responses to the petition,” Odiwuor told the court.

The confirmation came during the mention of a petition challenging the lease agreement between the government and the Indian conglomerate Adani Group, which had been set to redevelop and manage JKIA under a long-term concession.

Justice Mwamuye, however, declined to lift the interim conservatory orders issued in November 2024, which halted implementation of the deal, and directed that the matter be heard expeditiously.

The case will be mentioned on May 6, 2026, before a new judge following his transfer.

The Sh230 billion deal had drawn intense public criticism before President Ruto announced its cancellation on November 21, 2024.

Despite the announcement, the court sought for a formal written consent that indeed the deal had been formal cancelled but was told that no formal documentation had been presented to confirm the cancellation until today, February 24.

"When the matter came up for mention on January 9,2024 and subsequent months last year, no formal letter had been tendered before this court confirming the cancellation of the deal," Justice Mwamuye noted.

Despite confirming the cancellation, KAA urged the court to lift the existing orders, arguing that they now serve no purpose and continue to restrict the government from initiating a fresh procurement process for the redevelopment of JKIA.

“The current orders issued in November 2024 have hindered the authority and have perpetually limited it together with Adani Group, from engaging in a fresh bid process for redevelopment of JKIA,” Odiwuor submitted.

He told the court that the interim orders had effectively frozen any future redevelopment plans for the country’s main international airport, even though the impugned agreement had already been revoked.

However, Justice Mwamuye declined the request, maintaining that the conservatory orders would remain in force until the substantive application challenging them is heard and determined.

Activist Tony Gachoka, one of the petitioners, together with Mount Kenya Lawyers, informed the court that they had now received responses from all state agencies involved in the matter and sought for a hearing date of their petition.

 The judge directed Cabinet Secretaries John Mbadi (National Treasury) and Davis Chirchir (Transport), alongside the Attorney General, to file further responses to both the main petition and the application seeking to lift the interim orders by close of business on March 13, 2026.

The petitioners were granted leave to file and serve their rejoinder by April 17, 2026.

Justice Mwamuye also encouraged all parties to re-examine their pleadings in light of recent developments.

“Parties are individually encouraged to consider the applications and details of their pleadings which have been overtaken by events or are spent and which can be compromised,” the judge directed.

He further noted that although the interim conservatory orders remain in place, parties should fast-track the application challenging those orders before the judge who will take over the matter.

“Since the interim conservatory orders are still in place, parties are urged to fast-track the application challenging the interim orders before the new judge who will be assigned to take over the matter on May 6, 2026,” Justice Mwamuye said.

The petitions were filed by Tony Gachoka and a group of Mount Kenya lawyers, challenging the legality, transparency, and constitutionality of the government’s decision to lease JKIA to the Adani Group, arguing that the process violated public participation requirements and posed risks to national sovereignty.