Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has assured that the indictment of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani in the United States will not impact the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited (KETRACO) deal with Adani Energy Solutions.
Speaking on Thursday, November 21, Wandayi emphasized that the allegations against Adani, involving a multi-million-dollar bribery scheme to secure solar energy contracts in India, are unrelated to the Kenyan project.
“Would these emerging reports in any way affect the delivery of this project? We can’t tell, why? Because they are not related to this project,” the CS stated.
Wandayi also clarified that no corruption or bribery concerns were raised during the negotiations leading to the signing of the deal.
“Could these bribery or corruption claims have a bearing on our own process? To my knowledge, there has been no case of corruption or bribery as far as this PIP [Public-Private Partnership] of Adani Energy Solutions is concerned,” he added.
The 30-year agreement between KETRACO and Adani Energy Solutions, signed in October 2024, involves the development, financing, construction, operation, and maintenance of critical power transmission lines and substations across Kenya.
Wandayi affirmed that the Ksh95.68 billion project aims to address persistent power outages and ensure reliable electricity supply.
“The signing of this agreement marks the conclusion of a long-negotiated process that has been ongoing for the past four months. The project cost, currently estimated at Ksh95.68 billion, will be crystallized through a competitive bidding process jointly handled by KETRACO and the Project Company. This ensures value for money while prioritizing local content and business opportunities for Kenyans,” Wandayi explained.
Meanwhile, Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, was indicted in the U.S. on Wednesday, November 20, on charges of bribing Indian officials with over $250 million to secure solar energy contracts. The indictment also includes securities fraud and conspiracy allegations, accusing Adani and his associates of misleading U.S. investors about their compliance with anti-bribery laws while raising project funds.
In response, Adani Group issued a statement denying the accusations and pledging to defend itself through all legal means.
“The allegations made by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied. As stated by the U.S. Department of Justice itself, ‘the charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.’ All possible legal recourse will be sought,” read the statement.
