Kenya Aviation Workers Union members strike in response to the “unlawful intended sale of JKIA” to Adani Airport Holdings of India.
Hundreds of airline passengers found themselves stranded today at Kenya’s largest international airport due to a strike by aviation workers protesting a contentious agreement to lease the airport to India’s Adani Group.
The Kenyan Airport Authority (KAA) has acknowledged the circumstances at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.
Last night, the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) declared via X (formerly Twitter) that its members would engage in a work boycott in response to the “unlawful intended sale of JKIA to Adani Airport Holdings of India.”
The arrangement proposed, which the Kenyan government refers to as a “public-private partnership,” would permit the Indian firm to manage JKIA for a duration of 30 years, reportedly in return for an investment of $1.8 billion in the East African nation.
This agreement would also facilitate the expansion of the airport, including the development of a new runway and passenger terminal, as Nairobi has indicated that the facility is currently operating beyond its capacity and necessitates modernization.
However, the union representing aviation workers has raised alarms regarding potential issues, particularly the risk of widespread layoffs affecting local employees under the management of the Adani Group.
During yesterday’s announcement of the strike action, KAWU disclosed earlier correspondence in which it had called for the “immediate resignation” of the entire board of directors of the Kenya Airports Authority.
The association asserted that “instead of demonstrating prudence and accountability as the stewards of this national strategic asset for the benefit of Kenyans,” the officials exhibited “a display of incompetence in managing” the transaction.
The high court of Kenya issued a temporary injunction on Monday against the proposal, awaiting a decision on a lawsuit that contests the lease, even as the government maintains that JKIA is not being sold to Adani.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission, in collaboration with a consortium of legal professionals from the nation, has submitted a formal complaint asserting that the decision to lease the strategically significant and lucrative Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to a private organization is illogical. They contend that this action contravenes the constitutional tenets of good governance, accountability, transparency, and the prudent and responsible management of public funds.
Meanwhile, the Kenyan Airport Authority (KAA) has reported that limited operations have recommenced at JKIA as of 7 a.m. local time. In a statement, the authority stated that it is collaborating with the appropriate stakeholders to restore normal operations, and extended its apologies to passengers for any disruptions experienced.
