Members of Parliament have welcomed President William Ruto's cancellation of Adani's proposed takeover of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and called for greater engagement with Kenyans in future deals.
Responding to the President's State of the Nation Address, the lawmakers said many Kenyans and stakeholders had raised serious corruption issues with Adani. They commended President Ruto for listening to the concerns raised.
Likoni MP Mishi Mboko said while they were not against private investors coming to Kenya, the corruption issues raised by various stakeholders about Adani were serious and could not be ignored.
"We don't dispute that we need investors in our country but on this one, Kenyans had spoken and the president has listened," Ms Mboko said.
"We don't want corruption in government deals," she added.
Ms Mboko said she was also happy that the President addressed the issue of women and promised government action.
Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu said the cancellation of the Adani deals was important because it now gives Kenyans the opportunity to be involved in such deals in the future.
“The climax of the President's speech was the cancellation of the Adani deals. We are happy that the President has listened to Kenyans,” he said.
Dr Mulu said the President touched on all the issues that Kenyans wanted addressed such as health, education and the economy.
“But let it not be just talk, we now want action,” he said.
Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia pointed out that some of them had now been vindicated on the Adani issue, which they had warned about earlier.
“The President should have acted much earlier, but the cancellation is welcomed. I want to tell my colleagues that we should not wait for the President to say that something is bad for us to also say it. Let's talk about these issues early enough,” Mr Kaguchia said.
“Adani was bad but some of my colleagues insisted that it was good until now that the President has said it's bad, then they also say it's bad.”
He pointed out that public participation has changed and Kenyans are now expressing themselves more through informal channels such as Facebook and X.
“We are used to formal public participation where we invite people to send letters or emails, but now it is evident that Kenyans express themselves more on X and Facebook and the government is actually reading them,” Mr Kuria said.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said the cancellation of the Adani deals is a step in the fight against corruption.
“This is a good step in ensuring that all government deals are transparent and the public gets value for money,” he said.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi said the President’s speech on the economy is inspiring and Kenyans would soon feel the economic growth.
“I know Kenyans are saying they are not feeling the economic growth that the President has talked about because it is not reflected in their pockets. Putting money in the pockets of the people is a process and soon Kenyans will feel it,” Mr Mbadi said.
Meanwhile, security was beefed up around Parliament, with military police and the dreaded red beret General Service Unit (GSU) officers keeping vigil.
Security was tight along Harambee Avenue, with vehicles of diverted to alternative routes and only those of VIPs allowed to enter Parliament.
Anyone, including journalists, entering Parliament Square was subject to frisking by National Youth Service officers.
Parking in the precincts of Parliament was restricted to those in leadership positions, while MPs were dropped off at the gate and their drivers instructed to park in the basement of the Bunge Towers.
Invited guests, including Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, began arriving at around 1pm.
President William Ruto arrived at 2.34pm and inspected the military parade before proceeding to Parliament where he was received by the Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang'ula and his Senate counterpart Amason Kingi and the leadership of both Houses.
At Parliament, President Ruto received a rousing welcome from MPs from both houses.
President Ruto addressed the joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament just two weeks after the impeachment of Rigathi Gachagua as deputy president.
Prof Kithure Kindiki, who was attending the national event for the first time as deputy president, received loud applause from MPs when he was introduced by Speaker Wetang'ula as one of the guests of the House seated in the Speaker's gallery.
