Kenyan energy minister says no corruption involved in Adani energy deal

Kenya's energy minister said on Thursday there was no bribery or corruption involved in the award of a contract to a unit of India's Adani Group to build power lines in the East African nation.

Kenya's energy minister said on Thursday there was no bribery or corruption involved in the award of a contract to a unit of India's Adani Group to build power lines in the East African nation. Adani Energy Solutions in October signed a 30-year, $736 million public-private partnership deal with the Kenya Electrical Transmission Company. A court suspended the contract in the same month.

Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi said the deal was above board. "There has been no case of corruption or bribery as far as PIP (Privately-initiated proposal) with Adani Energy Solutions is concerned," he told Kenya's Senate committee on finance.

Early on Thursday, the CEO of Adani Group, Gautam Adani, was indicted by U.S. prosecutors for his alleged role in a $265 million scheme to bribe Indian officials. Wandayi said Kenya's Public-Private Partnership Act required a review and verification of documents provided by Adani Energy Solutions showing its compliance with laws and taxes in its country of origin, India.

"We had no knowledge of any other adverse matters ... and therefore we are proceeding on the basis of the outcome of the very rigorous due diligence exercise that was undertaken by the contracting authority in line with the law." Wandayi said the deal would contribute to affordable electricity supply, and Kenya did not have the money to fund new power transmission projects.

Representatives from Adani Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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