The High Court has certified as urgent a constitutional petition seeking to halt the proposed Ksh154 billion modernisation of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and ordered all parties to file responses ahead of a hearing scheduled for next week.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In directions issued on June 19, Justice Gregory Mutai directed the petition and application to be served on all respondents and interested parties by Friday evening, with responses due by June 22 before the matter is heard on June 23.

"In my view, the Petition and the Motion concern a matter of great public importance and deserve urgent consideration," Justice Mutai stated in the court documents obtained by this publication.

The judge further directed the respondents and interested parties to file and serve their responses by 5pm on June 22, with the application scheduled for an inter partes hearing on June 23 at 11:30am.

📌 What You Need to Know

The case was filed at the Milimani High Court by the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) through its Secretary General, Stephen Mutoro, who is seeking conservatory orders to stop any further action on the airport redevelopment project pending the determination of the constitutional petition .

COFEK wants the court to bar the respondents from undertaking any steps that could create contractual, financial, proprietary or public obligations arising from the proposed redevelopment of Kenya's largest international airport.

The petition also seeks orders compelling the preservation of all records related to the project, including agreements, approvals, financing arrangements, correspondence, land-use records and implementation documents.

According to the petitioner, the government has already initiated the procurement process for the airport upgrade, yet key details regarding the consortium behind the project, financing structure, beneficial ownership and contractual obligations have not been made public.

The case further raises questions over reports linking a company reportedly associated with Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo to the project, arguing that the nature of its involvement remains unclear.

Mutoro argues that unless the court intervenes, the respondents could proceed with signing agreements, securing financing and committing public resources before the constitutional questions raised in the petition are determined.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke