The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) staff are set to begin a strike on Tuesday, protesting against the government’s plan to lease Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Adani Airport Holdings Limited, an Indian firm. The strike follows escalating tensions and disagreements over the terms and transparency of the lease agreement.
The Kenya Aviation Workers’ Union (KAWU) has expressed strong opposition to the planned deal, accusing the KAA of secretly facilitating the transfer of management to Adani Holdings.
The controversy intensified with the news that sixteen KAA employees, including board members, are scheduled to travel to India on Tuesday for what is described as a “due diligence” visit. KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema condemned this trip, labeling it as an attempt to “sell” the airport rather than conduct genuine due diligence.
“We condemn that and you should know that those people who are going to India are going to sell our airport. What they are calling due diligence is not acceptable. We do not want any KAA worker to travel to India to do a deal with Adani.”Ndiema stated
The workers’ protest has been fueled by concerns over job security and the handling of security services at the airport. KAWU claims that the lease agreement is being pursued in a secretive and unlawful manner and could lead to significant job losses.
They have called for a halt to all ongoing stakeholder engagements until their demands for full disclosure of the agreement and other relevant documents are met.
The planned strike was initially scheduled to begin on Monday, but KAWU agreed to postpone it after the government partially responded to their demands by providing some documents related to the lease agreement. KAWU had already suspended the strike on Saturday, citing progress in obtaining contract documents.
Henry Ogoye, the acting managing director of KAA, has urged the workers to submit their grievances in writing by Monday for further review. Despite this, KAWU remains resolute in their stance against the lease deal and plans to continue their protest actions until their concerns are fully addressed.
Ndiema emphasized that the union will persist in their campaign, stating, “We are making an effort to stop the loss of JKIA. If a new investor comes in, they should build a new terminal and manage it, but we are not ready to surrender our airport”.
As the situation unfolds, the KAA staff remain determined to prevent what they perceive as an unjust transfer of airport management and are prepared to escalate their actions if necessary.