Nelson Amenya sparked outrage by revealing secret negotiations for an Indian firm to take over Kenya’s main airport.
He has no regrets, but he believes his life is now in danger.
The documents Amenya posted online in July revealed that the Adani Group, owned by India’s richest man, Gautam Adani, had been in talks for months to lease Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for 30 years.
The JKIA is one of Africa’s busiest hubs, but it frequently experiences power outages and leaking roofs, and it desperately needs to be refurbished.
Adani offered a $1.85 billion investment, but critics argue that is a pittance given the airport’s strategic value, with fees accounting for 5% of Kenya’s GDP.
The talks were held in complete secrecy, with no apparent 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 sparked outrage, prompting a strike by airport workers and a full parliamentary investigation.
Giving evidence last week, Finance Minister John Mbadi, who had only recently taken office, admitted he was surprised to learn that the Kenyan Aviation Authority (KAA) had approved Adani’s proposal in less than a day in March.
The KAA has not commented on the deal’s secrecy, but has promised that it will be “subjected to technical, financial, and legal reviews alongside requisite due processes”.
Far from being praised for exposing the deal to public scrutiny, Amenya claims he is being targeted on multiple fronts.
Soon after his revelations, Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations contacted a carbon credit firm he co-founded, accusing them of selling counterfeit cryptocurrency.
“We don’t sell crypto, we don’t transact on our website at all,” laughed Amenya.
He only agreed to disclose 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.
Even there, his opponents have served him with a gag order through French lawyers.More concerning 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 declined to reveal his sources, but he has reported his concerns to 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.
Sheila Masinde, the head of Transparency International’s Kenya branch, said such concerns are valid.
“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 explained.
“Nelson needs to be given physical and legal protection. He’s doing this for the public interest,” said Masinde.
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