Kenya Denies Wicknell Chivayo’s Involvement in Billions JKIA Airport Contract

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport has formally denied that any company linked to controversial Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo played a role in the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) expansion project. The statement pushes back against explosive media reports placing the politically connected tycoon at the center of East Africa's largest infrastructure deal.  

Addressing the media on June 18, Transport CS Davis Chirchir stated that the firm tied to Chivayo was completely absent from the procurement pipeline.  

"The said company is not among the contractors that submitted bids for the JKIA contract," Chirchir clarified, emphasizing that the multi-billion-shilling evaluation adhered strictly to statutory public procurement laws.  

The Kenyan government’s damage-control briefing follows investigative reporting by ZimLive, later corroborated by Kenya's The Standard. Outlets reported that Chivayo’s firm, IMC Construction Kenya, had entered the project as a joint venture partner alongside China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and its subsidiary, China Road and Bridge Corporation, the state-backed Chinese giants awarded the massive JKIA upgrade.  

The leaked transaction details sparked intense public outrage in Kenya due to Chivayo's high-profile proximity to Kenyan President William Ruto. The 45-year-old Zimbabwean businessman has made multiple visits to Kenya’s State House, openly calling Ruto a "father figure". Records show Chivayo was even granted a Kenyan passport in February 2026, and as recently as June 1, 2026, he visited Wajir State Lodge to discuss multimillion-dollar investments directly with the presidency.  

JKIA PROJECTED ANNUAL PASSENGER CAPACITY:
[Existing Terminal Capacity]  7.5M ──► 12M Passengers 
[New Terminal Capacity]       +10M Passengers
[Total Target Capacity]       22M Passengers per year

The expansion contract has faced extreme scrutiny after Kenya cancelled a previous 2024 award to India’s Adani Group following public protests and a U.S. corruption probe into the Indian conglomerate.  

Hoping to restore investor confidence, Chirchir clarified that while the original deal was valued much higher, the government expects the final award to top out at KSh154.2 billion ($1.19 billion). The sweeping upgrade will expand JKIA's capacity to 22 million passengers annually. Chirchir defended the unit costs, stating they sit 20 percent below comparable international facilities.  

However, regional political analysts remain skeptical that a ministerial briefing will silence critics. While Chirchir confirmed Chivayo's firm did not submit a formal bid, the ministry did not explicitly deny whether IMC Construction Kenya holds secondary, informal joint-venture stakes with the Chinese contractors.  

Given Chivayo's history, including a 2018 corruption court battle over a $5.6 million advance for the Gwanda solar project in Zimbabwe, where he was ultimately acquitted in 2023, his sudden presence in Kenyan state infrastructure continues to raise red flags across Southern and East Africa.  

Wicknell Chivayo business