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Kenya drops airport deal with Adani Group after US indictments

Kenyan President William Ruto said on Thursday he had bought the cancellation of a. procurement process that had actually been anticipated to award control of. the nation's primary airport to India's Adani Group after its. founder was indicted in the United States.

Under the proposed deal to expand the main Nairobi airport,. Adani was to include a second runway at the Jomo Kenyatta. global airport and upgrade the passenger terminal.

I have directed agencies within the ministry of transport. and within the ministry of energy and petroleum to immediately. cancel the ongoing procurement, Ruto said in his state of the. country address, attributing the choice to new information. supplied by investigative companies and partner nations.

An Adani Group firm signed a 30-year, $736-million. public-private partnership deal with the energy ministry last. month to construct power transmission lines in a separate. task.

Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi on Thursday stated there was no. bribery or corruption associated with the award of the transmission. lines agreement.

Ruto's statement was satisfied by applause from lawmakers. present in parliament, where he offered his address.

Representatives from Adani Group did not immediately react. to a request for remark.

U.S. authorities said on Wednesday that group creator Gautam. Adani, one of the world's richest individuals, and seven other. offenders consented to pay about $265 million in allurements to Indian. federal government officials.

The Adani Group denied the accusations and said in a. declaration that it would look for all possible legal recourse.

The airport proposal was revealed in July, after it was. dripped on social networks four months after it was made.

In September, a Kenyan court temporarily blocked a proposed. airport lease deal, which would have run for thirty years, in. exchange for broadening it.

(source: Reuters)