Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot has firmly denied claims that he facilitated a deal between the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Indian conglomerate Adani Group for the leasing of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Speaking in the Senate on Thursday, Cheruiyot dismissed the accusations as an attempt to tarnish his reputation, emphasizing that he is a person of integrity who has earned everything through hard work.
The Kericho Senator directly addressed the whistleblower, Nelson Amenya, who made the allegations during a televised interview on Wednesday night. Cheruiyot clarified that he has never met the owner of Adani Group or had any dealings with the company or its representatives.
"I don’t work for KAA or the Ministry of Transport, so I don’t understand how anyone could claim that I brokered a deal between Kenya and a foreign entity whose owner or agents I’ve never even met," Cheruiyot stated.
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He further defended his character, saying, "I’ve worked hard to protect my reputation. Those who know me can attest to my integrity. We cannot fight corruption by falsely accusing others and destroying their character."
Cheruiyot also announced his intention to pursue legal action against Amenya and the media outlet that aired the allegations, which he described as baseless. "My lawyers will be contacting that gentleman.
I have a name to protect, and this House should know its Majority Leader. As I seek justice, the media involved will also have to answer for their role in spreading these unfounded claims," Cheruiyot added, noting that he would make a personal statement on the matter in the Senate the following Tuesday.
In the interview, Amenya claimed to have brought the Adani deal to light, stating that many political leaders were unaware of it, including Senator Richard Onyonka. He accused Cheruiyot of traveling to India, meeting with Adani executives, and brokering the controversial deal.
"I’m the one who shared the documents with politicians. No one knew about the deal except Aaron Cheruiyot, who brokered it. He went to India, met Adani, and brought them to Kenya," Amenya alleged during the interview.
