National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has dismissed reports circulating in sections of the media that the planned expansion of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) could cost about US$2.9 billion, saying the figures being published are inaccurate and that the project cost he is aware of is significantly lower.
Mbadi said the government figure he has seen places the cost at about US$1.2 billion, adding that the project would not place any strain on Kenya’s sovereign debt.
He further indicated that the JKIA expansion is among candidates for funding under the National Infrastructure Fund and suggested that official information on the project could be obtained from the Ministry of Transport or through his office.
In his remarks, Mbadi also criticised sections of the media for reporting the figures.
“On Senator Onyonka, I know it has been reported that JKIA is going to cost about 2.9 billion figures flying around, I saw 2.9 billion U.S. dollars. The figure that I know is half of that, 1.2. And so you don't rely on figures that are flying around, and especially in some print media, some specific newspapers, because, of course, some newspapers for three years now, their headline are always consistent and predictable, so we don't worry much about those ones, because they also have a responsibility to inform or misinform Kenyans," Mbadi said.
"But that, I will tell you, is not going to put any strain on our sovereign debt. And if you want the information about that, either my counterparts at the transport can provide that information, or the government, even through me, can provide that information. But this is one of the candidates for the National Infrastructure Fund. And I will tell you that there will be no sovereign debt, as of now, that will be put here.”
Mbadi reiterated that the JKIA project is being considered under the National Infrastructure Fund framework, stating that no sovereign debt would, at this stage, be committed to the project.
