Major African airport resumes flights

Union leaders at Kenya’s biggest international airport have ended their industrial action after talks with the government

Kenya’s aviation workers’ union has called off a strike that grounded flights at the country’s main airport, following negotiations with the government. The industrial action was launched in protest against a deal for India’s Adani Group to carry out modernization and operations at the facility. 

The protests at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) caused significant flight delays and cancelations affecting hundreds of passengers. The union had expressed concern over the government’s plan to lease JKIA for 30 years in exchange for $1.8 billion in investment. The deal with Adani Group reportedly includes expanding the airport, building a new runway, and constructing a new passenger terminal. While Nairobi has stressed that the airport is operating above capacity and urgently needs modernization, the Kenya Airport Workers Union feared the deal would lead to job losses and worsen working conditions. 

Union secretary-general Moss Ndiema emphasized that while the strike has been called off, his organization will be involved in future discussions. 

“We have not accepted Adani,” Ndiema insisted.  

Read more

Transport Minister Davis Chirchir assured journalists that the government would prioritize the interests of Kenyan citizens in the plans to upgrade and modernize the country’s main airport. 

Hundreds of workers at JKIA staged a demonstration on Wednesday, causing flights to remain grounded and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. 

Francis Atwoli, secretary-general of the Central Organization of Trade Unions, criticized the government for not addressing workers’ concerns sooner.   

“This was a very simple matter where the assurance to workers in writing that our members will not lose jobs and their jobs will remain protected by the government and as is required by law and that assurance alone, we wouldn’t have been here,” Atwoli stated. 

He also announced that the government and Kenya’s aviation workers’ union have agreed to review the deal documents within ten days. If an agreement is reached, it must be approved by the union. Atwoli also noted that both parties had agreed that no one involved in the strike would face penalties. 

Kenya’s high court temporarily blocked the proposal on Monday, pending a ruling on a lawsuit challenging the lease, despite the government insisting that JKIA is not being sold to Adani. 

READ MORE: Judge dread: What is the fate of the law in a key African state?

This week’s protests followed large-scale demonstrations in Kenya earlier this year, which forced President William Ruto to withdraw a controversial finance bill aimed at raising $2.7 billion in taxes.