KEY POINTS
- Kenyan airport workers ended their strike after government assurances.
- Workers protested against leasing the airport to India’s Adani Group.
- No deal will proceed without union approval, says the government.
A strike by Kenyan aviation workers protesting a proposed lease of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to India’s Adani Group has come to an end. The workers, concerned about potential job losses, halted their protest after the government promised that the deal would not move forward without their union’s approval.
Earlier, hundreds of passengers experienced delays and cancellations as workers voiced their objections to the plan. The deal, which would lease the airport to the Adani Group for 30 years, promised $1.85 billion in investment to expand the facility. However, workers feared that the lease would lead to job cuts and the introduction of non-Kenyan workers.
Government Eases Tensions
Following the strike, Francis Atwoli, head of the Central Organization of Trade Unions, assured the workers that no one involved in the protest would face punishment. The Kenyan government also agreed to review the lease documents with the Kenya Aviation Workers Union within 10 days. Only if the union approves the plan will it move forward.
Workers had gathered at the airport, chanting “Adani must go” and clashing with police. While the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority stated that air traffic control services were fully operational, passengers complained about long waits for flight updates. In some instances, police took over security checks as staff members joined the strike.
According to Reuters, TV footage showed police clashing with protesters, with one officer seen hitting a demonstrator. By midday, operations at the airport slowly returned to normal, and police replaced striking workers in some areas.
Adani’s Expansion Plans
The Adani Group, led by billionaire Gautam Adani, has not commented on the strike. The company already operates seven airports in India and has faced criticism in the past for winning government contracts. Although the Kenyan government emphasized that JKIA is not for sale, it acknowledged the airport’s need for modernization due to overcrowding.
Adani’s proposed investment in Kenya includes building a new runway and upgrading the passenger terminal. Kenya’s High Court recently halted the deal to allow a judicial review, further delaying the potential agreement.
The union remains firm in its stance that the deal must not harm Kenyan workers. For now, the future of the Adani lease remains uncertain as both sides await further discussions.
