Man who foiled Indian plan to take over Kenya airport fears for his life

Nelson Amenya caused an uproar by exposing secret talks for an Indian firm to take over Kenya's main airport. He has no regrets, but fears his life is now in danger, he says.

The documents Amenya shared online in July revealed that the Adani Group, owned by India's richest man, Gautam Adani, had been in months-long talks to lease Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for 30 years.

The JKIA is one of Africa's busiest hubs, but often suffers power outages and leaking roofs and badly needs to be refurbished.

Adani offered a $1.85-billion investment, but critics say that is a pittance considering the strategic value of the airport, whose fees account for five percent of Kenya's GDP.

The talks were held in total secrecy and apparently with no effort to invite other bids.

"They didn't want it public because of the terms. Adani wanted to keep 18 percent equity in the airport even after the 30-year lease -- this is crazy," Amenya told AFP.

His revelations triggered an uproar, leading to a strike by airport staff and a full parliamentary investigation.

Giving evidence last week, Finance Minister John Mbadi, who only recently took on the post, admitted he was shocked to find the Kenyan Aviation Authority (KAA) had taken less than a day to approve Adani's proposal back in March.

The KAA has not commented on the secrecy surrounding the deal, but vowed it would be "subjected to technical, financial and legal reviews alongside requisite due processes".

- 'I'm not safe' -

Far from being praised for opening up the deal to public scrutiny, Amenya says he is being targeted on several fronts.

Soon after his revelations, Kenya's Directorate of Criminal Investigations wrote to a carbon credit firm he co-founded, accusing them of selling fake cryptocurrency.

"We don't sell crypto, we don't transact on our website at all," laughed Amenya.

He only agreed to expose the deal because he is currently studying in France.

"If you are in Kenya, you will be targeted by the police, by mercenaries, you might even lose your life," he said.

His opponents have reached him even there, serving a gag order through French lawyers.

More worrying have been warnings about his physical safety.

"I know I'm not safe and I could potentially be taken out at any moment in France," said Amenya. He did not want to give details on his sources, but he has lodged his concerns with French police.

"You're talking about a $2-billion deal and you don't know how much has changed hands to reach this stage," he added.

Such concerns are real, said Sheila Masinde, head of the Kenya branch of Transparency International, an anti-corruption watchdog.

"We've seen whistleblowers in Kenya facing harassment ranging from physical torture to abduction to legal threats," Masinde told AFP.

A Whistleblower Protection Bill has been pending in parliament for 11 years, she added.

"Nelson needs to be given physical and legal protection. He's doing this for the public interest," said Masinde.

- 'Illegal dealings' -

What worried Amenya most about the airport deal was Adani's reputation.

The sprawling ports-to-power Indian conglomerate saw $150 billion wiped from its market value last year after a report by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research accused it of "brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud".

Australian environmentalists accuse the firm of "environmental destruction, human rights abuses, corruption and illegal dealings" in relation to its mining operations there.

Adani is suing its main Australian critic and says the Hindenburg report was a "maliciously mischievous" reputational attack.

The Adani Group did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.

Amenya believes the airport deal would not have been made public until it was already signed, had he not exposed it first.

"It was the right time to do it because they were just about to sign the commercial agreement and move into the project-development stage," he told AFP.

"We still might not be able to stop Adani taking over JKIA, but at least we can influence the terms."

Kenya's government says the terms are still being negotiated and that refurbishments at the airport are vital.