By By Habeeb Ibrahim
Workers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), one of Africa’s busiest airports, initiated a strike early Wednesday, causing significant disruptions for passengers.
The protest, led by the Kenyan Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), was sparked by the government’s proposal to lease the airport to India’s Adani Group for 30 years.
As the strike began at midnight, operations came to a standstill, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Many travelers were seen sitting on their luggage outside the airport as vehicles queued to enter the premises.
The strike has resulted in delays and cancellations of flights for both incoming and outgoing travelers, affecting the operations of Kenya Airways and other airlines.
Union leader Moses Ndiema, addressing the media, confirmed that the strike would continue indefinitely until the government withdraws the proposed $1.85 billion deal with Adani Group. “The strike is on, and all shifts have been suspended. Adani must go, that is not optional,” Ndiema stated firmly.
Critics of the deal argue that it could lead to job losses for local workers and deprive Kenya of future revenue generated by the airport. JKIA currently contributes over 5% of Kenya’s GDP, primarily through passenger and freight services.
The Law Society of Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission successfully obtained a temporary suspension of the deal from the High Court, citing concerns over transparency. Despite these legal challenges, the Kenyan government has defended the agreement, stating that the partnership with Adani is necessary to modernize the airport’s aging infrastructure.
Although JKIA handled 8.8 million passengers and 380,000 tonnes of cargo between 2022 and 2023, the airport has been plagued by frequent power outages and other operational issues. Under the proposed agreement, Adani Group would be tasked with building a second runway and upgrading the passenger terminal to enhance capacity.
