Wamalwa warns of 'neocolonialism' as court blocks Kenya-US health deal

DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa. [File,Standard]

Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) leader Eugene Wamalwa has accused the Kenya Kwanza administration of selling national sovereignty through opaque asset deals.

Speaking at party headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday, December 11, Wamalwa described the transactions as "international neocolonialism" disguised as economic reform, citing recent court interventions against government agreements.

The High Court today suspended implementation of a Sh205 billion health cooperation deal between Kenya and the United States over data privacy concerns, marking the latest judicial intervention against government agreements.

Justice Bahati Mwamuye issued the conservatory orders following a petition by the Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek).

Courts also blocked the proposed 30-year lease of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to India's Adani Group in September this year, after civil society organisations challenged the deal as unconstitutional.

Wamalwa said the interventions demonstrated a pattern of opaque decision-making.

"The courts have intervened on Safaricom, on Kenya Pipeline, on JKIA. And we have just received good news that court orders have been issued against the opaque US-Kenya health deal that was signed recently without any public participation," he said.

The government sold 15 per cent of its Safaricom shares to Vodacom Group for Sh204.3 billion in a transaction that critics said undervalued the telecommunications company.

Cabinet approved the privatisation of Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) in July, with plans to sell up to 65 per cent stake through an initial public offering (IPO) at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the move would enable private sector expertise to drive growth and efficiency.

However, the Elections Observation Group (ELOG) reported that the November 27 by-elections were marred by widespread irregularities, including voter bribery, intimidation, and ballot secrecy breaches despite technical preparedness by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Wamalwa referenced the troubled mini-polls as evidence of threats to Kenya's democratic system.

"We witnessed in the recently concluded shambolic 27th November by-elections," he said.

The DAP-K leader also invoked Kenya's independence struggle, saying every asset compromised represents "a betrayal of the generations who fought for our freedom. "From the peaks of Mount Kenya to the shores of Lamu, from Lake Victoria to the plains of Narok, every Kenyan has a stake.

The republic is ours, and we will defend it with courage, with unity, and with vigilance."

He called on citizens, institutions, and civil society to demand accountability and protect national assets, including pipelines, airports, companies, and financial institutions.

The government has defended its privatisation programme as necessary to reduce the state's budgetary allocation to loss-making corporations and attract private capital for expansion.