Ruto ally Aydin’s controversial solar power project raises concerns

By Newsflash Writer

A Turkish-owned company tied to Harun Aydin, a controversial businessman linked to President William Ruto, is pushing ahead with a 50-megawatt solar project in Laikipia County under questionable circumstances.

The company, Unit 2HA Investment Energy Africa, has received clearance from Kenya’s environmental watchdog to begin construction on a 3,000-acre plot, despite inconsistencies in its financial submissions and technical plans.

Aydin, who was deported from Kenya in 2021, is listed as both a director and shareholder of the firm, according to regulatory documents. The company estimates the total cost of the solar plant at Sh155.47 million, which is less than 3% of what similar-sized projects in Kenya typically require.

To put this in perspective, the average cost of constructing a 1MW solar facility is around $1 million (Sh129.2 million), placing the expected cost of Aydin’s 50MW project closer to Sh6.4 billion. Other 40MW projects in Kenya have had budgets above Sh6 billion, raising red flags over this particular plan’s credibility.

Land use and project comparison

The Aydin-led project also stands out for its land usage. While most solar farms of this size are developed on 300 to 600 acres, Aydin’s firm plans to use 3,000 acres, prompting further scrutiny.

A similar project in Rumuruti, slightly smaller at 40MW, was proposed at Sh6.7 billion ($52 million) on 300 acres of land. That project, a partnership between IPP Kenergy Renewables, Scatec Solar ASA, and Norfund, was eventually cancelled in 2020.

The new Aydin project is also set to be located in Rumuruti, under the name Umoja Solar Plant.

Aydin’s checkered past

Aydin was part of a group scheduled to travel with then Deputy President Ruto to Uganda in August 2021. Immigration officials blocked Ruto from departing and detained Aydin for two days before deporting him on suspicion of terrorism financing and money laundering.

Since President Ruto assumed office in August 2022, Aydin has resurfaced in several state-linked projects, including an affordable housing programme.

Aydin’s other company, MHOA Africa Limited, is in a joint venture expected to construct at least 100,000 homes under the government’s affordable housing scheme, which is partly financed by the housing levy. MHOA Africa, along with Demir Group, was selected in November 2023 under Category A, targeting large-scale construction on public land.

Questions over licensing and transparency

While the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has granted environmental approval, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (Epra) — which licenses power generation plants — confirmed it had not yet received a permit application from the Aydin-linked firm.

“No, we haven’t,” said Daniel Kiptoo, Epra’s Director-General, when asked about the project’s licensing status.

Efforts to contact Aydin went unanswered. His company, Unit 2HA Investment Energy Africa, lists its address at Two Rivers Mall on Limuru Road. It was registered on October 15, 2020, and its other shareholders — Fatih Dogan, Oguzhan Kilic, and Mehmet Akdere — are also foreign nationals.

During the 2021 deportation saga, Ruto — then Deputy President — defended Aydin, describing him on Twitter (now X) as a “victim of top-down arrogance bred by patronage and cartels that criminalise enterprise.”

However, then Interior CS Fred Matiang’i stated that Aydin was deported due to alleged money laundering activities and illegal entry into Kenya. He noted that no charges were filed because of Kenya’s diplomatic ties with Turkey.

Despite the controversies, Aydin later attended a State House Luncheon hosted by President Ruto early in his administration — a sign of his ongoing connections in Kenya’s power circles.

Kenya’s solar landscape

Kenya’s electricity supply is largely renewable, with geothermal and hydropower making up the majority. Solar still accounts for a small share — just 3.46% of total electricity purchased by Kenya Power — even though the country has immense solar potential.

Notable solar installations include the 55MW Garissa Solar Plant (one of the largest in East Africa), the 40MW Malindi Solar, and other smaller facilities like Cedate Solar and Strathmore University’s rooftop system.

These projects, unlike the proposed Umoja plant, were built on smaller plots and had significantly higher budgets, further deepening questions surrounding Aydin’s deal.