Leaked emails have revealed that Nick Wachira, CEO of the public relations firm Oxygène, is at the centre of a scheme to rehabilitate the tarnished reputation of India’s Adani Group in Kenya.
The correspondence, which has surfaced amid increasing scrutiny of Adani’s involvement in key infrastructure projects, exposes Wachira’s role in orchestrating a public relations campaign aimed at reshaping public perception of the conglomerate’s activities in Kenya.
Wachira’s PR firm, Oxygène, has been commissioned to launch a three-month thought leadership programme designed to clean up Adani’s image, particularly in the energy and infrastructure sectors.
Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani Enterprises Ltd., speaks during an interview in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, May 31, 2011. Adani Enterprises Ltd., India’s biggest coal importer, may sell shares in a unit that produces the fuel to international investors and use the proceeds to add energy assets. Photographer: Adeel Halim/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The emails, which have been circulating on social media, detail a plan to use media platforms to push narratives that portray Adani’s projects as beneficial to Kenya’s development, despite growing public concerns about the company’s controversial track record.
In one of the leaked emails, Wachira outlines a comprehensive PR strategy, complete with objectives, deliverables, and timelines. The campaign includes publishing bylined articles, opinion pieces, and social media posts to drive a positive narrative about Adani’s ongoing projects in Kenya.
The firm is also tasked with creating infographics, videos, and expert analysis to support their narrative, while carefully avoiding any mention of the controversies and failures surrounding Adani’s operations globally.
Gautam Adani, chairman of Adani Group, right, and his wife Priti Adani, chairperson of Adani Foundation, show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting their ballots at a polling station during the third phase of voting for national elections in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. Voting kicks off in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat in the third phase of India’s election Tuesday, with campaigning becoming increasingly acrimonious between the two main parties. Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Part of the PR playbook, according to the leaked communications, involves targeting Kenyan media with stories that would “break down the Kenya Infra challenge” to the public. This approach is designed to sway public opinion by simplifying complex issues surrounding Adani’s involvement in key projects like the Mombasa port.
Wachira’s emails suggest that Oxygène is fully aware of the potential backlash against Adani and is actively working to mitigate it by controlling the narrative in the media.
More alarming is the revelation in Wachira’s emails that there are four additional Adani projects in the pipeline, one of which includes the strategic Mombasa port.
These deals, which could involve the privatization of critical national assets, are being quietly pushed forward while the public remains largely unaware of the potential long-term consequences for Kenya’s sovereignty and economy.
Indian-based tycoon Gautam Adani. Photo: The Star Source: Facebook
Additionally, there are rports that Nick Wachira’s firm is expected to hire a group of influential bloggers on social media who will sing praises on Adani, with other reports indicating that some bloggers have already flied to India for benchmarking.
Furthermore, the Adani Group’s controversies extend across multiple countries, including Australia, where its Carmichael coal project faced backlash; Myanmar, over questionable military-linked investments; and Sri Lanka, amid port deal disputes. Allegations of environmental violations, political influence, and financial irregularities have also fueled scrutiny in India and Bangladesh.
