JKIA Tender Wars Ignite Security Fears as Court Petition Exposes Alleged Contract Irregularities

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A deepening tender dispute at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has raised alarm over potential security lapses and the erosion of protocol standards at Kenya’s largest aviation hub, according to a petition filed before the High Court and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

The petition, lodged by Fredrick Mulaa, details a fierce battle for control of the lucrative “meet and assist” services—specialised protocol duties involving welcoming high-profile guests, diplomats, and foreign delegations. These services, common in major global airports, require strict professionalism and high security clearance.

However, the dispute has now spilled into the public domain, with allegations that the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and its acting Managing Director, Dr. Mohammed Gedi, flouted court orders and procurement laws to award contracts to Umbato Safaris Limited and Tradewinds Aviation Services—firms previously disqualified or declared unfit by both the High Court and the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board.

Trouble began after KAA’s 2021 procurement process for the service was nullified by the High Court, and a subsequent 2024 tender saw Tradewinds Aviation Services disqualified at the technical evaluation stage. Despite these rulings, the petition claims KAA went ahead and signed contracts with the two companies, allegedly sidelining qualified bidders in a process now described as “illegal and corrupt.”

The fallout has reportedly compromised security at JKIA. Recent incidents—including revelations that the airport has become a transit point for a global drug trafficking network—are being linked to the lack of professionalism and irregular access created by the disputed contracts. On October 7, four suspects were arraigned at the JKIA Law Courts over their involvement in a narcotics syndicate believed to be operating through the facility.

A letter by S and S Advocates to the KAA Managing Director, copied to EACC, accuses the authority of blatant disregard of binding court decisions. The petition now seeks judicial declarations that KAA violated the Constitution by awarding contracts that had already been nullified or unsuccessfully bid for.

With the tender wars now at the intersection of national security, aviation standards, and public trust, all eyes turn to the court for a ruling that may reshape how critical airport services are tendered and regulated in the future.

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