Odinga defends Indian Conglomerate Adani, says they have a proven track record in development
- ODM leader Raila Odinga threw his weight at the Adani – JKIA deal, assuring Kenyans the the Indian conglomerate has a proven track record.
- The lon standing political veteran threw weight at the controversial Adani deal, citing necessities for public, private partnership to elevate our economy
- He cited how the Indian based group turned a swamp into a port, power plant and an industrial hub.
While addressing the mass at an ODM event if Mombasa county, where he remembered losing friends in the struggle for liberation, the veteran politician cited economic struggle as the reason for embracing the private -public partnerships so as to elevate our economy. He addressed critics amid the discussions that are going on about the Indian conglomerate, it’s transparency and integrity.
The controversies revolves around proposed Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) for the modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Kenya’s power transmission sectors, which Kenyans feels there is mote than meet the eye in the Adani deal.
While defending the company, the former Prime Minister said he was first introduced to Adani in 2010 by Prime Minister Modi of India, who was them Chief Minster of Gujarat.“When I was the Prime Minister of Kenya, I was introduced to Adani by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was then Chief Minister of Gujarat,” Raila assured
Raila described a trip to Gujarat where Adani had turned a devastated swamp into a bustling port, power plant, and industrial hub.
“In Mumbai, I witnessed how they transformed a collapsing airport into a world-class facility, and their power projects benefit millions.” He recounts
He moved ahead and strongly defended the Indian group, citing that it is a credible partner and have a proven track record in development “Adani is a credible partner. They have proven their capabilities in projects that surpass what we have seen in East Africa.” He said
He also urged the Kenyan government to address public concerns in a transparent manner, ensuring that Private Public Partnership processes are done in an open, competitive, and fair grounds.
While acknowledging the need for investor profits, Odinga emphasised the importance of safeguarding national interests, such as labour laws, environmental protection, and Kenyan courts’ jurisdiction in disputes.
“If we scare away investors like Adani, we risk stalling critical infrastructure development at a time when our neighbors are pulling ahead,” Odinga warned.
