Kenya has threatened to shut down the Malindi Space Station, operated by the Italian government, due to persistent breaches of the bilateral agreement by the Luigi Broglio Space Centre stationed in Kilifi County.
In an official statement, the National Assembly Committee on Implementation, led by Budalangi MP Raphael Wanjala, has expressed regret over Italy's failure to uphold its end of the bargain. This could potentially result in the station's closure unless the Italian partners comply with the agreement's provisions.
The Committee particularly voiced its frustration regarding the Italian Space Agency's CEO, who was conspicuously absent from a scheduled meeting. This absence occurred despite prior notification of the Committee's plans to tour the space centre and hold discussions.
"If we cannot have the right person answering our questions, we may have to exercise the exit clause of this agreement. There was an advance notice given to the Italian side, but the absence of the CEO from this critical meeting is a sign of absolute lack of commitment to this process," Wanjala complained.
The legislators questioned whether the project is benefitting Kenyans after Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale questioned the space station's failure to pay annual rent and remit money collected from third parties.
After visiting the facility on Friday, August 11, and engaging personnel working at the Italian Space Centre, the MPs emphasised that the issues raised by the CS were grave and need immediate resolution.
The MPs reiterated that the primary focus of the project was to serve the interests of Kenyans, and the ongoing repeated violations of the agreement are obstructing the realisation of this goal.
Although the bilateral agreement between Kenya and Italy, established in December 2020, is intended to be in effect for the foreseeable future, the recent unfolding circumstances might lead to Kenya withdrawing from the accord.
Patrick Mariru, the Principal Secretary for Defense, appealed to the Committee for swift resolution of this matter, stressing that the Ministry has already highlighted the concerns extensively.
"We have engaged at different levels on this matter, and it’s your responsibility as the people’s representative to guide us, and having had prior discussions on this, we leave it to this Committee to guide us on the way forward," the PS stated.
Also present at the meeting was, Italian Ambassador to Kenya Roberto Natali and officials from the Kenya Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency.
When he unveiled the violation of agreements by the Italian agency in August, Defence CS Duale disclosed that Italy had not compensated Kenya for the 3.5 hectares on which the facility is constructed.
Other concerns raised by the CS included the facility's withholding of collected data from Kenya, citing a deficiency in transparency and accountability by the opposite number.
"It is in the interest of the Italian government to come quickly and fix this problem on behalf of the Italian space agency," Duale remarked.
