The proposed 30-year lease of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to the Adani Group has been referred to Chief Justice Martha Koome following legal challenges from prominent civil society organizations.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) have mounted a robust legal challenge against the proposed lease agreement. Their primary contentions center on the fundamental principles of governance, highlighting concerns about transparency, accountability, and the prudent management of public resources. The petitioners maintain that the decision to lease a profitable and strategically vital national asset to a private entity was made without adequate public consultation and potentially threatens the nation's economic interests.

In a significant development, Justice John Chigiti has acknowledged the gravity of the issues presented and ordered the formation of a three-judge bench to examine the matter comprehensively. The court has implemented an interim order preventing any advancement of the Adani proposal until the case reaches its conclusion. The Adani Group has contested these legal proceedings, arguing that the dispute falls within the purview of the Public-Private Partnership Petition Committee rather than the High Court's jurisdiction.

The company maintains that objections to the lease arrangement are premature, citing ongoing due diligence processes and pending final approvals. The controversy has galvanized various stakeholders across Kenya's political and social spectrum with the Kenya Aviation Workers Union expressing particular concern about potential employment implications and the preservation of national heritage. Similarly, the Wiper Democratic Movement, under Kalonzo Musyoka's leadership, has joined the discourse, emphasizing the need for procedural transparency.

Public response to the proposed lease has been notably vigorous, manifesting in both traditional and social media platforms. The widespread use of the hashtag #AdaniMustGo and the disruption of online court proceedings with public protests serve to highlight the depth of public engagement with this issue.