The Senate investigation into the contentious Adani-JKIA takeover deal spiraled into chaos on Thursday as senators clashed with Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi during his testimony before the Transport Committee.
Efforts by Committee Chair Karungu wa Thangwa to restore order were met with resistance, prompting him to exit the session in protest.
Tensions flared during the afternoon when Mbadi appeared on the witness stand to defend the government’s stance on the Adani deal.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka introduced new evidence, presenting letters from three companies that had shown interest in the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) but were allegedly ignored.
Onyonka argued that KAA had insisted that only Adani’s proposal was under consideration, claiming that the other companies’ submissions were dismissed.
The confrontation escalated as Onyonka insisted that KAA had indeed received the letters, while Mbadi countered that the Treasury had not received any correspondence regarding companies other than Adani.
The atmosphere grew increasingly charged during Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s cross-examination of Mbadi, which quickly turned personal.
Senators pressed Mbadi for details about the handling of the Adani deal by his predecessor, to which he responded, “We are still in the due diligence stage.”
As tensions peaked, Chair Thangwa accused Onyonka, Sifuna, and fellow senator Samson Cherargey of turning the hearing into a spectacle for online audiences.
“You are using this session to create trending videos; we must maintain respect and decorum,” Thangwa stated, igniting further heated exchanges.
Undeterred, Sifuna threatened to remove Thangwa from his position, proclaiming, “This is a season of impeachments; we shall impeach you.”
In a show of defiance, Onyonka, Sifuna, and Cherargey eventually walked out of the session, accusing Thangwa of stifling their voices and acting as a gatekeeper for the government.
The hearing concluded without resolution, leaving the Adani deal under a cloud of unresolved tensions and increasing scrutiny.
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