The Kenyan government has claimed that Italy has failed to honour its part of the agreement on the Malindi-based space station operated by the European nation.
Defence Secretary Aden Duale on Tuesday, August 1, told the Defence Committee of the National Assembly that Italy has failed to pay annual rent and remit money collected from third parties at the Luigi Broglio Space Center, also known as San Marco.
The Cabinet Secretary explained that Italy has defaulted in paying compensation to the government of Kenya for the land upon which the facility rests. The Malindi Space Station is an offshore ground station operated by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
According to an agreement between the two countries seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the Italian government is supposed to pay Kenya Ksh35,505,000 (USD250,000) and a further Ksh7,101,000 (USD50,000) for every third party that uses the facility.
Besides paying annual fees and sharing profits, the ASI is also supposed to share data with Kenya and undertake development projects in the community where the facility is hosted.
"There is a lack of full visibility in the Centre to Kenya Space Agency (KSA) operations and other Government of Kenya staff. The Agency has appointed a Deputy CEO, who is yet to fully settle down at the facility owing to reluctance to provide suitable office space," documents tabled in Parliament revealed.
"Kenyan technicians who have been present at the facility over the years have had their access to the facility terminated."
Kenyan argues that Italy has contravened provisions under Article VII, Clause 6 of the Agreement which provides for secondment by Kenya of professional staff to the Facility.
Kenyan Ministry of Defence also claimed that there is a reluctance to provide information about current commercial contracts with third parties entered into by the facility in accordance with the provisions of the agreement.
"This has a bearing on what is due and declared to Kenya as shareable profits from commercial activities, in accordance with provisions in Article VIII, Clause 5 (f)," Duale stated.
MPs have also been told that the Italian facility has been collaborating with other institutions in Kenya on space matters without the involvement of the Kenya Space Agency as the local implementing partner and focal point.
"Some of the institutions do not have credible or accredited engineering programmes related to space sciences and technology, while the individuals have suspect credentials," documents show.
