The strike, led by the Kenyan Aviation Workers Union, commenced at midnight, halting operations at one of Africa’s busiest airports, AFP reports.
Kenya Airways passengers faced delays and cancellations on Wednesday as staff at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) began striking over a proposed takeover by India’s Adani Group.
The strike, led by the Kenyan Aviation Workers Union, commenced at midnight, halting operations at one of Africa’s busiest airports, AFP reports.
Passengers queued outside the airport, many sitting on their luggage, while vehicles lined up trying to enter the area, according to AFP.
Union leader, Moses Ndiema, made it clear that the strike would persist until the government scrapped the plan to lease JKIA to Adani for 30 years.
“The strike is on and all shifts have been suspended,” Ndiema said, adding, “Adani must go, that is not optional.”
Kenya Airways alerted travelers to expect significant disruptions, with the possibility of further delays and cancellations for both arriving and departing flights.
Critics argue that the proposed $1.85 billion deal with Adani will result in job losses for local employees and deprive Kenya of future revenue. JKIA currently contributes over five percent of Kenya’s GDP through passenger and freight services.
The Law Society of Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission obtained a temporary suspension of the deal from the High Court, citing concerns about a lack of “transparency” in the process.
Despite opposition, the Kenyan government has defended the deal as essential to refurbishing JKIA, which, despite handling 8.8 million passengers and 380,000 tonnes of cargo in 2022-23, has struggled with power outages and infrastructure issues.
The Kenya Airport Authority stated that under the agreement, Adani would add a second runway and upgrade the passenger terminal.