Why Kenya is at war with Italy on Malindi-based space station, Defence CS
Kenya and Italy fighting over uncollected revenue from the Malindi Space Station according to Defence Secretary Aden Duale
Kenya and Italy fighting over uncollected revenue from the Malindi Space Station according to Defence Secretary Aden Duale.
The Italian government, according to the Kenyan government, did not uphold its end of the bargain over the European nation’s space station with a base in Malindi.
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.
Italy has not compensated Kenya’s government for the land on which the facility is located, according to the cabinet secretary.
The Malindi Space Station is an offshore ground station operated by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
According to an agreement between the two countries, 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.”
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Kenya claims that Italy has violated the Agreement’s Article VII, Clause 6, which calls for Kenya to provide professional employees to the Facility.
The Kenyan Ministry of Defence further asserted that there was a reluctance to divulge details on current business agreements made by the facility with third parties in accordance with the terms 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.
In addition, 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.
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