The High Court has granted the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) permission to file a judicial review challenge to the Kenya Airports Authority's (KAA) decision to lease the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to the Adani Group for 30 years.

The court, sitting in Milimani and presided over by Justice J. Chigiti, issued a conservatory order on Monday, halting all further action on the proposed lease until the case is fully resolved.

This stay order comes as a relief to many concerned parties, including the Kenya Aviation Workers Union, which has strongly opposed the Adani proposal.

The case, registered as HCJR/E199/2024, has been certified as urgent, with the court admitting the application for hearing even during recess. 

The LSK and KHRC argue in their submissions that the decision to lease Kenya's busiest airport to a foreign private entity was made without adequate consultation or transparency, a claim that KAA and other respondents must address in their responses, which are due within the next few days.

The substantive hearing will decide whether the lease agreement, which has raised concerns about national sovereignty and job security, can be continued or terminated entirely.

The case is scheduled for further mention on October 8, 2024.