House Committee Considers Termination of the Kenya-Itally Bilateral Agreement on the Lugi-Broglio Malindi Space Centre, Says it Does Not Benefit Kenyans
Members of National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, chaired by Hon. Nelson Koech (Belgut), are now considering an option of terminating the Kenya-Italy bilateral agreement on the Lugi-Broglio Malindi Space Centre.
The decision comes after a meeting they had with the Cabinet Secretary of Defence, Aden Duale, who told the committee that the issues agreed on, on the signed treaty have not been implemented and Kenyans have not benefitted in any way.
According to CS Duale the Space Centre only benefis Italians exclusively despite it being meant to be a symbiotic, and mutually benefitting relationship between Kenya and Italian governments.
“The bilateral agreement was meant for scientific, technological and socio-economic development for both nations. The agreement has five implementing arrangements that included education training, telemedicine and establishment of a regional center for Earth observation, however, Kenyans are yet to see significant tangible benefits of this collaboration,” CS Duale told the members.
The CS further disclosed that as per the signed agreement Italy government was to remit 50 per cent of the returns, that they get from any commercial contract it enters with third parties, however, he said the Space Centre has been reluctant to provide full disclosure of its commercial activities.
After the CS’s presentation before the members, the committee through the Chair asked why Kenya had not explored the exit clause.
In his response the CS told the Committee that they had many options one of them including the exit clause. He however, called on the members to try the parliamentary process, inviting them to visit the Space Centre and thereafter make a decision on whether to amend the treaty and proceed or terminate the agreement and look for other partners.
The bilateral agreement was signed back in 2016 in Italy and got ratified by the Kenyan National Assembly in 2020. It came into effect the same year after an exchange of notes between the two nations.
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