National

By Esther Nyambura | 4 hours ago

Nelson Amenya, the whistleblower behind the explosive exposé on the Adani-Kenya deal, says he has been receiving multiple death threats.

Amenya, 30, uncovered alleged irregularities in the multi-billion-dollar agreement between the Kenyan government and India’s Adani Group.

In an interview with KTN News on Wednesday, Amenya stated that these threats have escalated since the report’s release and have now extended to his business associates.

Despite the mounting intimidation, Amenya emphasized that he is not in hiding, although he remains cautious about his security.

"I am very mindful of my surroundings because I have received death threats. I wouldn’t say I’m in hiding, but there are various intimidation tactics being used against me," he said.

He also noted that some of his business associates have received letters threatening legal action in retaliation to his exposé.

Amenya's remarks came a week after receiving a letter from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), informing him that his company was under investigation.

"The police claim they are investigating fraud involving my company in cryptocurrency—something we have never engaged in," Amenya stated.

In the letter made public by Amenya, the head of the Serious Crimes Unit requested several documents from his company. 

These included a certified copy of the certificate of incorporation, the Articles and Memorandum of Association, and the names and contacts of the registered directors and founders.

Last week, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka accused the government of attempting to intimidate Amenya for exposing the deal.

“In my capacity as an elected senator, I have maintained constant communication with the whistleblower. This informed a statement I presented on the Senate floor on July 17, 2024, directed to the Committee on Roads and Transportation. On August 1, the committee summoned him to provide further details about the Adani-JKIA takeover,” Onyonka said.

Onyonka also claimed that the DCI’s request for documents from Amenya was a tactic aimed at silencing him. He argued that these documents could easily be obtained from the Business Registration Service (BRS).

However, according to Amenya, every detail he has revealed about the Adani deal is true, and if they doubt him, they should challenge his claims by providing counter-evidence.

In his account, Amenya further stated that the deal was negotiated by Senate Majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot, who allegedly made several trips to India to bring Adani on board. Cheruiyot has yet to respond to these accusations.

Nelson Amenya: I am the one who shared the documents with politicians. Nobody including Senator Onyonka anything about this deal except Aaron Cheruiyot who is the broker in this deal and he was the one who went to India met with Adani and brought Adani to Kenya.#NewsHour… pic.twitter.com/lmiCnXLA0N

— KTN News (@KTNNewsKE) September 18, 2024

Amenya also claimed that if the deal goes through, Adani will have "ownership" of the airport for the next 30 years and retain an 18 per cent stake in JKIA indefinitely after their 30-year lease expires.

Further, if approved Adani will increase airport charges to maximise returns, with the government held responsible for all losses, regardless of the cause.

The company would also enjoy unlimited access to land, tax exemptions, and the authority to set and collect levies across the airport as well as have the power to manage a percentage of Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) staff.

This in return will reduce the government’s role in key airport operations,