Media Wire Express Correspondent
Hundreds of travelers have been stranded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport following a strike by airport staff.
The strike began on Wednesday at midnight, prompted by ongoing disputes over the Kenyan government’s plans to lease the airport to Indian conglomerate Adani Enterprises.
The Kenya Airport Workers Union (KAWU) announced the strike after what they described as a lack of goodwill from the government during recent negotiations. Moss Ndiema, Secretary General of KAWU, criticized the government for failing to provide the necessary documentation and for not addressing their concerns about the lease agreement. “The government has not been straightforward, and they are not genuine. They have not provided us with all the documents that we demanded. All we want is for the government to halt the Adani deal,” Ndiema told Nation.Africa.
The controversial lease agreement, under a 30-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract, includes plans for significant upgrades to the airport. These upgrades involve constructing a second runway and a new passenger terminal. However, the details of the deal have not been fully disclosed to the public or the workers, fueling their dissatisfaction and resulting in the strike.
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This strike comes less than a week after workers had initially threatened to down tools. They had called off their planned strike after a high-level meeting at the State House where discussions were held. Despite this, frustrations have escalated, leading to the current industrial action.
The strike has caused significant disruptions for travelers, with flights delayed and operations at the airport severely affected. The government has yet to respond to the strike or address the concerns raised by the workers.
The government and the Kenya Airport Workers Union will need to engage in further negotiations to resolve the dispute and restore normalcy at Kenya’s primary international gateway.
