Secret Sh180bn JKIA Upgrade Deal Fuels Fresh Transparency Row

Pressure is mounting for the State to come clean on the status of a contract for the upgrade of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Disclosures point to a Chinese firm leading the process on Kenya’s main aviation gateway.

Civil society groups, legislators and lawyers have raised alarms over the lack of openness in procuring the multi-billion-shilling contract. They threaten legal action to force the revelation of all parties involved.

Agencies handling the procurement have stayed silent. This stands in contrast to their earlier public push for the expansion earlier this year.

The Nation established that the contract for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport modernisation and expansion has been awarded to a Chinese firm. Signing is scheduled for next week.

Sources within the overseeing agencies confirmed the award happened this month. It now sits in a 14-day window for unsuccessful bidders to mount legal challenges. One source put the value at Sh150 billion. Another cited a range of Sh160 billion to Sh180 billion, depending on exchange rates.

A Kenya Airports Authority source indicated that two Chinese firms, China Road and Bridge Corporation and Sinohydro, submitted bids. Indications pointed strongly toward China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The Ministry of Roads and Transport has been driving the process.

Tender documents opened on March 3, 2026. Sources spoke on condition of anonymity given the intense scrutiny now surrounding the deal. Reports had earlier indicated that CCCC won a Sh375 billion tender for the project.

A company tied to Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo is linked to a joint venture role with the Chinese winner.

Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah voiced strong objections. He acknowledged the need for upgrades but criticised the failure to engage Kenyans or Parliament. Details on taxpayer risks remain scarce, he said.

“The requirements of transparency... have been violated,” Omtatah stated. He pledged resistance through political and judicial channels.

The Institute for Social Accountability (Tisa) also echoed these worries. It compared the current opacity to the earlier, ultimately shelved Adani Group proposal. Sheila Masinde, executive director at the Institute for Social Accountability, called for full publication of bidding details, contract terms, beneficial ownership and financing models.

Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) has already moved. The federation instructed lawyers to file a constitutional petition. Stephen Mutoro cited the involvement of IMC Construction Kenya Limited, wholly owned by Chivayo, as a key concern. He referenced the businessman’s past legal issues in Zimbabwe.

Lawyer Donald Kipkorir questioned the pattern of engaging parties with controversial backgrounds. Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) also flagged potential breaches of public procurement laws.

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and the transport ministry have issued no fresh statements. The authority previously denied Adani involvement and described the current effort as a government-funded project following established procedures. A feasibility study wrapped up in February 2026.

The project seeks to ease chronic congestion at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. It targets growth from roughly 8.9 million passengers annually to about 22.3 million by 2045. Cargo capacity would more than double to 860,400 tonnes.

Renders for the project have been released, showing planned upgrades including a new terminal and expanded facilities.

Works include runway upgrades, new taxiways, terminal expansions, digitised processing and parking optimisation. Implementation splits into two phases running concurrently. Phase one aims for 12 million passengers within 18 months. Later elements feature a new parallel runway and a larger terminal.

Design work falls to Dar Al-Handasah. Groundbreaking had been anticipated around June. The controversy now casts uncertainty over timelines.

Critics insist strategic national assets require utmost openness. How authorities respond in the coming days could determine whether the project advances smoothly or faces prolonged court battles.