A company linked to controversial Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo has won a stake in the Sh375 billion ($2.9 billion) tender to expand Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. IMC Construction Kenya's involvement is already reigniting debate over government transparency and bringing back memories of the protests that erupted when the airport was handed over to India's Adani Group.

Chivayo isn't a stranger to controversy. In Zimbabwe, he was convicted of fraud in 2004 for swindling a local businessman out of $115,000. He was sentenced to six years in prison but served only a fraction of that time. More recently, his company Intratrek Zimbabwe won a $200 million contract to build a solar plant — a deal that's been mired in delays and allegations of political connections.

The JKIA expansion project is one of Kenya's biggest infrastructure undertakings. It aims to modernise the airport, increase passenger capacity, and boost Nairobi's status as a regional aviation hub. The total cost — Sh375 billion — has already raised eyebrows, with critics questioning the value for money and the procurement process.

IMC Construction Kenya's entry into the deal adds another layer of scrutiny. The company was registered in Kenya in 2023, shortly after Chivayo began expanding his business interests in the region. Sources familiar with the tender process say the firm will handle a portion of the construction work, though the exact scope and value of its stake haven't been disclosed.

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), which is overseeing the tender, has defended the process. In a statement, KAA managing director Alex Gitari said the contract was awarded after a competitive bidding process that followed all legal requirements. He didn't comment specifically on IMC's involvement.

But civil society groups aren't convinced. The Kenya Human Rights Commission has called for the full list of winning bidders to be made public, arguing that secrecy breeds suspicion.

This isn't the first time a foreign businessman with a checkered past has landed a major Kenyan contract. The Adani Group deal, which was eventually scaled back after public outcry, set a precedent for how such announcements are received. Many Kenyans are now asking whether the government has learned any lessons.

The protest energy from the Adani saga is still fresh. In 2024, thousands took to the streets of Nairobi to oppose what they saw as a giveaway of public assets. Now, with Chivayo's name in the mix, activists are already mobilising. Social media is buzzing with hashtags like #JKIAOurAirport and #StopTheGrabs.

Chivayo, for his part, has dismissed the criticism.

Parliament has also taken notice. The National Assembly's Transport Committee has announced it will summon KAA officials to explain how IMC Construction Kenya was vetted.

The Sh375 billion price tag alone is enough to make anyone pause. That amount is roughly equivalent to 10% of Kenya's annual national budget. For context, it could build over 30,000 affordable housing units or fund the entire free primary education programme for three years.

What happens next depends on how much pressure the government feels. If the Adani experience is anything to go by, public outrage can force a rethink. But with the tender already awarded and construction set to begin in the coming months, reversing the decision would be costly and legally messy.

For now, the airport expansion remains on track. But with a convicted fraudster's company now in the picture, many Kenyans are watching closely — and some are already planning their next protest.