Months after the Adani airport deal collapsed under public pressure, the Sh375 billion JKIA expansion project has returned to the centre of controversy after interests linked to Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo emerged inside the new arrangement through a Chinese consortium.

The development has placed Chivayo under public scrutiny because of his known proximity to President William Ruto, including past appearances with him at State House, and his previous legal record involving a fraud conviction.

The new JKIA arrangement is now drawing attention because it comes after the earlier Adani proposal triggered national debate over transparency, ownership, financing and the proposed role of private foreign interests in Kenya’s main international airport.

The Law Society of Kenya is demanding full disclosure of the contract terms, including the ownership structure, financing model, obligations placed on the government and the exact role of Chivayo linked entities in the project.

JKIA remains Kenya’s main international gateway and one of the country’s most sensitive public infrastructure assets, making the latest development likely to intensify calls for transparency around the parties involved, the procurement process and the safeguards placed around public interest.